First Contact
by FantasyBard
Summary: Megamind always thought that he was the last of his kind. However, what if someone had been watching him from afar, someone who was very much like him? Megamind is about to find out what first contact means.
1. Last Time Together

This is a story that sort of came to my mind the second time I saw the movie. In my opinion, it's so sad for Megamind to have lost his entire species. That made me wonder what would have happened if some of his kind had survived, and if he was maybe not as alone as he had at first thought. From that idea came this story. I have never really done anything in the science fiction vein, so please bare with me. I do hope that everyone who reads this fic likes it, so please be sure and tell me what you think. Enjoy!

Prologue: Last Time Together

_Tandaren home world, approximately twenty-eight years before the start of the movie_

She had not known that it would be the last time she would be together with the ones she loved most. She had not known that it would be the last time that she would ever see her parents again. She had not known what was coming.

She had been allowed by her instructor to leave her studies for a period of two weeks, so that she might be with her mother when she was giving birth. It was customary for the family to be all together during such a time, so that the young infant might learn to recognize his or her family as much as possible. Not even the importance of her developing powers could take the place of that.

The first time that Kaitoia saw her brother, Sujan, she knew that there was something special about him. At first glance, this might have seemed odd. Sujan appeared to be no more than a regular Tandaren infant. Like all members of his race, his skin was blue, his limbs long and lanky, even at birth, and his head was as large as any other Tandaren. But it was not so much what was seen plainly on his face. The more time that Kaitoia and her parents, Aliyah and Ciqala, spent with him during those crucial first few days, the more they saw that what made Sujan special, resided within himself.

"He's so curious." Said Kaitoia, to her parents, the evening before she had to leave, when her brother was five days old, "He seems to watch everything and notice everything."

"Yes," said her father, "even more than a normal Tandaren infant at his age does. Already he seems eager to understand the world to see how everything works."

The family was seated on the veranda of their house which lay on the southern continent of Tandara. The bright night sky above them was sprayed with thousands of stars, as well as the distant red dot of Tandara's neighboring planet, Nyra, where the Nairi dwelt. Sujan was playing on the floor with his mother watching him closely. He was playing with two creatures, one was a bright golden snake with copper eyes, which was being surprisingly patient with the young child's poking and prodding. Sujan's attention was moving from this interesting object to another almost constantly, a fish with unsettlingly large teeth swimming around in a sphere of water.

A fish and a snake may not have been the first obvious choices to watch a child, but neither of them would have hurt Sujan. They were Minions; they knew what their privileges and duties were.

Minions were a special case to the Tandarens. There were five species on their home world which had developed a higher intelligence than other animals. Of these species, a select few were raised in special facilities to be of assistance to the families who choose them. The duty of a Minion was to help families, though these particular duties varied according to the family. However, it was a solemn and binding contract between Minion and family. The Minions were sworn to defend their charges and those families who chose to take one could never abuse or hurt the creatures which had been granted to them.

Chota, the fish, was a member of the Yun race, which populated Tandara's oceans. Though he had big teeth, his race were peaceful vegetarians, and used their teeth to slice through plant matter. Seren was Kaitoia's personal Minion, as her mistress' mental powers demanded a companion which could help her to control them. A member of the voshki species, her kind lived in the upper branches of the rainforests that belted Tandara's equator. Seren, like all members of her race, possessed the ability to change her size and length, to produce electro-magnetic pulses from her skin that could stun small animals, and a form of mind control which was used to hunt their prey. Since they were Minions, Kai and Seren could talk and reason like any other Tandaren, and their diets were more varied than they would have been of they were purely wild members of their species.

Kaitoia's mother was watching the antics of her son with gentle amusement. "The doctors won't be able to confirm it until he is at least three years old," she said, "but your father and I have seen signs of heightened intelligence already.

"Do you think he might be Gifted?" asked Kaitoia, eagerly.

"It's rare for two Gifted ones to come from the same family." Said Ciqala, "Bit it has been known to happen. If that turns out to be the case, then he will need a Minion before to long."

"But he already has a Minion," said Kaitoia, "Chota."

Aliyah and Ciqala looked only to see that Sujan had lost all interest in Seren and was now batting the sphere containing Chota across the floor. Chota seemed to be enjoying the ride and the two were laughing up a storm. Seren slid smoothly over to the table and climbed up to rest herself on Kaitoia's lap. "I do believe that my mistress is right, Ciqala." Said Seren, "I think that Chota and Sujan have built up quite a relationship already. At this point, I think it would be cruel to separate them."

"You may be right, Seren." Said Ciqala, almost thoughtfully. "We've had Chota for a few years, and he's been good with the children that Aliyah teaches here. Like all of his kind, he is patient and kind, but rather grounded in reality. If Sujan turns out to be Gifted in the area of intelligence, he will need someone to keep him on the earth."

"And he's always happy, which is a benefit." Said Kaitoia, "Seren always makes me feel better when I'm unhappy. It's the best thing she does for me."

"When I need to employ it, mistress." Said Seren, "You are almost never unhappy."

Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by a loud bumping noise. Sujan had rolled Chota's bowl too close to the steps and the poor fish had bonked down the stairs. Though the sphere was still intact, Chota himself was a bit dazed. Ciqala went to rescue Chota while Aliyah went to pick up the now yawning Sujan. "I believe that it's someone's bed time."

Sujan, like all Tandaren infants, could understand what was being said to him, but didn't quite know the meaning behind all of the words. However, he knew the meaning of the word "bed time" and he immediately began squalling.

Kaitoia got to her feet and said, "Mom, he doesn't want to go to bed until the sees the Hotarus."

"But there are none out tonight. The season for them has passed."

Kaitoia smiled as she took her brother from her mother's arms. "There are still a few around. I've felt them in the tress. We'll make them come out for a bit of a light show, won't we, Sujan?" Sujan, having heard the word, hotaru, immediately settled down and began to giggle happily. Kaitoia brought him over to the edge of the veranda. "Close your eyes, Sujan. Imagine all the little hotarus blinking around you."

Sujan shut his eyes, tightly, while Kaitoia cast out her mind's powers. She searched for the flickering signs of life in the trees, bushes and grass. Finding what she was looking for, she nudged them a little, coaxing them out into the open and finally to take flight.

"Okay, Sujan, open your eyes." Sujan opened his eyes and began to giggle and clap his hands excitedly. Around him were two dozen or so bright hotaru insects, blinking colors of bright blue, green, and red. Using her mental powers, Kaitoia manipulated the little bugs to perform all sorts of intricate patterns, which delighted the young Sujan no end. Kaitoia brought one of the insects into her own hand and showed it to her brother up close. Sujan's face was filled with wonder and curiosity. He reached out to gently touch the winged insect. Kaitoia knew in her heart that her parents were right; her brother was truly Gifted.

Sujan's face became drowsy and he yawned. Kaitoia quieted the hotarus flying around them, and released them, allowing them to return to their night time's rest. She turned and brought him back to Aliyah. His mother took him in her arms, and gave him his binky. Sucking the glowing toy, Sujan gave a happy, little sigh and fell asleep. Kaitoia kissed him softly on the forehead. "Dream well, Sujan. I love you."

Ciqala, having brought back Chota and placing his water sphere on the table, came over to his wife, and children. "Have your mother and I told you lately how proud we are of you?"

"Only two hours ago, I think." Said Kaitoia.

"But it's true, nonetheless. But you must know that even if you had not been Gifted, or even if your brother is or is not, we have always known you to be special." Said Aliyah, "You are both precious to us."

"And both of you are destined for greatness." Said Ciqala.

"That seems an awful lot of expectation to place upon a five day old and a twelve year old." Said Kaitoia.

"Nonetheless, we believe that you two are more than capable of it." said Ciqala.

Kaitoia could not have known that a mere three days after that seemingly harmless evening, a terrible disaster from an experiment gone wrong would claim hundreds of billions of lives. She had not known that her life was about to change drastically forever. She had not known that that evening with her family would be the last time that any of them would again be together.

* * *

As I said, please drop me a review. I don't know really where I am going with this specifically, but I have a rough idea. If you want me to continue it, I will. Thanks for reading.


	2. TwentyEight Years Later

Forgot to mention the disclaimer in the first chapter. Disclaimer: I do not own Megamind, it's characters, or anything else. I am merely writing down stuff that they inspired me to write. I get nothing from this, except for an overwhelming sense of satisfaction.

Also, this story is rated T for some violence and scenes of a romantic and fluffy nature.

Twenty-Eight Years Later:

The Chandos system consisted of five habitable planets orbiting the central sun. They were all habitable and surprisingly unclaimed when the refugee fleet of both Tandaren and Nairian ships had come across them twenty-three years before. The third and forth planets had been chosen by the Nairian and Tandaren races respectively as their colony planets.

Chandos III was a planet made up of grassy prairies, arid plateaus and cactus strewn deserts. It had a dry climate, with two heavy rainy seasons over the course of the year. Chandos IV had been claimed by the Tandarens. It had rolling green hills, high mountains and lush tropical rain forests. Each planet suited, in however small a fashion, something that each race had lost when their home worlds had been destroyed.

The Tandarens and the Nairians had long been friends and allies with each other, though their ways of life and civilization were, in some ways, vastly different from each other. Tandarens, brilliant, blue-hued people, prided themselves upon their intellectual capacity. Their machines, buildings and mathematical capacities were complex, but efficient. Tandarens were also telepathic, though how much so varied from person to person. It was only a gifted few who could harness their mental powers to achieve remarkable things, from telekinesis to elemental manipulation.

The Nyra were a race of great strength. Though they did have the intellectual capacity of the Tandarens (due only to not have evolved bigger brains), the Nyra were quite intelligent in their own ways. They were most well-known for their experimentation in matters of medicine and natural sciences. However, just because they had been blessed with great strength did not mean that they merely knocked through life with no thought of what they were doing. Nairian children were taught from an early age to control their strength, to use it only in constructive ways.

It had once been that these two races had been involved in several disastrous wars. However, as time passed, it became clear to them that between two races of such power (both mental and physical), would eventually bring about more destruction than could be repaired. They began, instead, to learn from each other, and it turned out that there was indeed much to be learned. There had been peace between them for a very long time, until the failure of the Great Experiment, when the light of their star had failed, and the Nyra and the Tandarens had found themselves to be an endangered species. That event had only served to strengthen the ties that existed between the two races.

Chandos was a fitting name for their new home. The word had a similar meaning in each language. In Tandaren, it meant wanderer, and in Nairian, exile. That was what they had become, wanderers and exiles, who now only had each other to turn too.

* * *

Kaitoia was the first to admit that she was not a morning person. She was not her best until of the ninth hour of the morning, and even after only a few cups of effa. And it never helped when she woke up in the middle of a vision.

So, when the communicator started blaring next to her bed during the seventh hour, she was not the most cheerful of people when she snatched up the communicator and snapped into it. "What is it?"

"Kaitoia, wonderful to hear your cheerful voice this early in the morning."

Kaitoia groaned and mashed her feet into the pillow. "Takeria, do you know what time it is?"

"Yes, and so should you." said the all too cheery voice on the other end of the line, "This is hour when most normal Tandarens are up and about."

"I'm not most normal Tandarens." Snapped Kaitoia.

"You don't need to tell me that. I'm still trying to figure out why my brother married you. Anyway, I'm not just calling to give you the privilege of hearing my voice. Chancellor Danara has requested an emergency meeting of all the Council Members. She says it's urgent."

"Fine, fine, I'll be there, but Chancellor Danara had better count on me not being happy about it. Good-bye." She clicked off the communicator before she could hear Takeria's snarly reply.

Sighing heavily, she rolled off the bed. Seren, who normally slept in the warm air of Chandos' night, slithered into the room when she heard her mistress rising. "That sounded like a pleasant way for you to start the morning."

"Takeria," huffed Kaitoia, as she got dressed, "Danara wants me for a Council meeting."

"There was one two days ago."

"Apparently, she says that it's urgent. You know as well as I do that Danara is far too practical to play things up. If she says it's urgent, then it must be."

"Still, I do wonder what it could be that would cause her to plan a meeting this early in the morning." She looked at Kaitoia closely. "Mistress, you look terrible. Did you sleep well?"

Kaitoia shook her head slightly. "No, at least I wasn't when Takeria's transmission woke me. I was right in the middle of experiencing a vision."

"The same one?" Kaitoia nodded, "That makes three times in the past week. It is still in the same place, the people, the same voices?"

Kaitoia nodded. "The city all around me, the tall shining towers and great rock streets, like in the capitol city on Tandara. The same debris all around me and the same things being cried and said."

"Did it end the same?"

"No, thankfully, I wake up before I got to the painful part."

Seren paused before asking quietly, "And is _he_ there?"

Kaitoia paused and looked at her. "Yes. "She said, almost softly, "The same male Tandaren, only he spoke this time. But I couldn't make out what he said. But his face, it was like he was witnessing something that terrified him. I'm still trying to understand if it's for me or for someone else."

"Why would you think it was for you that he is worrying?"

"I don't know. But every time I see him, I feel more and more that we are connected in some way."

"Well, do not worry, Mistress." Said Seren, after a pause. "Its not good trying to understand together piece-meal visions like this. You know very well what Gargi always said?"

"Yes, the future changes constantly, but it will take care of itself. Focus on the present moment for that is the only thing you can control."

"Wise words." Said Seren, "There's a reason why she was your teacher."

"And speaking of living in the present moment." Said Kaitoia, "We have a meeting with the Council to get to."

"Yes, a lovely way to start the morning.' Said Seren as he followed her Mistress out of the door.

Downstairs in the kitchen, Kerestan, Kaitoia's husband was already up and about. Though she said nothing, what he picked up from her telepathically was more than enough for him to know why she was up at such an early hour. "Must be quite an issue if you this upset with my sister, Kaitoia." He said, turning to her with a smile on her face.

She acknowledged with a curt nod. "I'm fond of your sister, Kerestan, but there are times when I am severely tempted to toss her out a window."

"Would you allow her to die, but I just might give her a good scare. If nothing else, it would make me feel better."

Kerestan's smile grew wider and he laughed. "The effa's ready, you might want to bring along the entire pot to keep yourself going."

"Thank you for your help, darling." Said Kaitoia, with a bit of sarcasm.

"So, what's this secret meeting that Chancellor Danara has called?" asked Kerestan, as she poured herself a cup of the sizzling, brown effa liquid.

Kaitoia shot him a look. "You really shouldn't be reading my mind on a warning like this."

"I can't very well avoid, darling. If it's secrecy you're going for, then I'm afraid you're not succeeding. I think even those Tandarens with a little less telepathic abilities will be able to pick up something about it. And any empaths might very well be floored by the annoyance that's coming off of you."

"All right, I've got the message." Said Kaitoia, "I'll calm down. I'm probably making too much out of this, like I always do."

"_Only because you care." _said Kerestan, telepathically, _"Why else do you think you're one of the youngest to ever sit on the Council? The Chancellor knows that she can trust you. And whatever this is about, I know that you will give it the same level of attention that you always do."_

Kaitoia actually managed the first genuine smile she had achieved that morning. She interlaced her fingers with those of her husband. _"You always know what to say."_ She responded.

"_I've had a good many years of practice to get it right."_said Kerestan, kissing her in the cheek.

The tender moment was interrupted when she heard the sound of approaching irate muttering. "What's the matter with Jocasta?" She asked, "She's normally a ray of sunshine this early in the morning."

"Now what have I done?"

"What have you done? What have you done?" said Jocasta, as she came into view. "The very least you could do is warn me when Melisande stops by for a late-night visit. I didn't have the guest bedroom made up and there wasn't enough food-"

Kaitoia laughed, "So Melisande is here, is she? Again dropping by without an invitation. I'm sorry, Jocasta, but I honestly didn't hear her coming. That would be taken as extremely bad manners under the best of circumstances, Melis."

"If I recall rightly," said a new voice in the conversation, Melisande, who was coming down the stairs and had heard the last comment. "You never did actually withdraw the invitation."

Kaitoia turned to regard the Nairian with an arched eyebrow. "An invitation that I that I gave two years ago. When I was somewhere between drunk and oblivion from too much mikako?"

"Exactly my point." Said Melisande, "Had I really not been welcome here, you would have withdrawn the invitation after you had sobered up. However, since you didn't, I've always considered it standing, and besides, I knew that Jocasta was missing me."

Jocasta merely huffed, still slightly perturbed. Melisande shook her head, rose in the air and flew over to Jocasta's tank. "Come on, Jocasta, I know that you're the best master of hospitality on Chandos III or IV. You don't have to do that much to make me feel at home. You say the best with just a little." She lowered herself to the ground and placed her hand in the water. "Come on, Jocasta, let's be friends again."

It was difficult for Jocasta to stay irritated in the face of such warm praise, which had the unique ability to not sound in the least clichéd or forced. She sighed and swam up to Melisande's outstretched hand and rubbed up against it. "Why is it difficult to stay angry with you?"

"Because I'm so charming?"

Melisande was a Nairian, the Ambassador for her people to the Tandaren refugee planet. Like all members of her race, Melisande possessed the capability of flight, as well as enhanced strength and senses. The Nairians were a matriarchal society and Melisande was the seventh child of the High Matriarch of the Nyra, the remnants of that mighty race having set up their colony upon the neighboring planet in the Chandos system. Being the youngest of a large brood, Melisande was something of a tomboy, brash, confidant, and with a habit of speaking before she thought. In personality, she was a far cry from Kaitoia, who was ordered, neat and deliberate in all her thoughts and actions. Nevertheless, the two were the best of friends, and despite the good-natured ribbing, the invitation of hospitality was sincere.

That fact could sometimes drive Jocasts to distraction. Jocasta, a female Yun, with light violet instead of the green that the male of her species sported, was Minion to Kerestan, as well as everything else to the general upkeep of the house. She was a happy, loving soul, but any upset from her regular schedule without sufficient notice could sometimes send her into a panic.

Melisande turned to Kerestan and Kaitoia with a smile. "Hope that I didn't intrude to terribly much. I would have called ahead, but things got away from me."

"Not that it isn't lovely to see you, Melisande, but why are you here exactly?"

"Mother called me in the middle of the night and said that something had happened regarding the Earth matter. She said that there had been an unforeseen complication. I suppose you've got the call if you're up this hour of the morning, Kaitoia. Mother said they were holding something similar with the Tandaren Ambassadors on Chandos III."

"Two such meetings on different planets." Said Kerestan. "That must be something serious."

"Well, now that we've stated the obvious." Said Melisande, "Could we go?"

Kaitoia nodded and said, "I'll be back as soon as I can, Kerestan."

"Have a good day, Kaitoia." Said Kerestan, as he kissed her hand.

"Good-bye, Jocasta, I'll see you later this evening." Said Kaitoia, as she and Melisande left.

Jocasta waved her fin, now her usual happy self. "Dinner will be hot on the table when you get back." She called after them.

"That Jocasta is a keeper isn't she?" said Melisande.

Kaitoia nodded, smiling. "She certainly is."

* * *

I hope that everyone has had a simply wonderful Christmas. Here is my gift to you. Please drop a review and let me know what you think.

By the way, I know that there might be some things which are a little confusing in this story. It's sort of a challenge to invent two totally new species. I have a whole new respect for people who write science fiction. However, I am planning on explaining everything in good time, so please be patient. However, if there are some things that people are totally confused about, let me know and I will attempt to explain what I am thinking without giving away too much. And finally, it might be awhile before we see any of our beloved characters from the movie. Be patient, they will be here. In the meantime, I hope that everyone enjoys this story.


	3. The Transmission

This chapter references and uses some quotes from the Megamind comic book The Reign of Megamind by Joe Kelly, and which can be found on the Megamind website.

The Transmission:

Since settling on Chandos IV, the Tandarens had established three cities, which had become fairly populous. The Capital City, Baktal, was the meeting place of the Tandaren High Council. Normally, the meetings were fairly routine, at least as routine as they could be for a species that had been uprooted from their home world, and forced to try anew elsewhere. But Tandarens were a very logical race, and had done their best with what they had been given. They tried not to dwell on the past, knowing that it would only hinder their attempts in the present to preserve what was left of their culture.

However, over the past year, something had been dominating the Council meetings beyond just the regular business. A year previously, they had started to pick up transmissions from a planet some 15 light-years from the Chandos system. The planet was called Earth, and it was inhabited by a species that called themselves humans. The Tandarens and Nairians had been aware for sometime of Earth's existence. However, the state of their two species meant that they did not have the resources to mount an effective first contact. For over twenty years, the matter of Earth had remained a somewhat forgotten matter.

Not anymore, though. Earth was now the center of attention for both the Council of the Tandarens and the Nyra's Assembly. Whether or not it was a wise move, where and when they should attempt to make a first contact, how they should deal with any mistrust on the part of the humans and more questions of this nature had been set forth by various embers on both planets, and there were more than several opinions on the subject. However, for the past few meetings, the matter had reached a standstill, and it appeared that now something major would have to happen in order for the process to move forward again.

Melisande said as much as she, Kaitoia and Seren went into the building which housed the Council Chambers in Baktal. "If this is a meeting to listen to more rants by representatives from the Southern City, I shall leave within five minutes."

"Melisande, it hasn't been that bad." Said Kaitoia.

"Of course it hasn't been bad, if you can call Valtor's three hour lectures on the state of the Earth's environmental situation and then how the humans were responsible for it not bad. I swear, that was practically as good as a sleeping pill. The only good part was your spirited defense of how well they have managed to clean up themselves in the past twenty years."

"All I was saying was that humans seemed capable of learning from their mistakes, which indicates to me that they are not stupid, at least in some things. But, between you and me, I do think that Valtor is overreacting."

"That's only because you have made your decisions." Said Seren, "If the choice had been up to you, the Tandarens would have been in orbit around Earth a few months ago."

Kaitoia shot her Minion, who was wound around one of her arms, with her head resting on her shoulder, a rather annoyed glance. "What part of private discussion don't you understand?"

"And how obvious is it to most of the other members of the Council that you have been fascinated by these humans from the start?" challenged Seren.

"She has got a point, Kaitoia." Said Melisande, "It's hardly state secrets."

Kaitoia looked from one to the other. "I can't win this, can I?"

"No, you probably can't." said Melisande, "Quite honestly, I am just ready for something to happen. I'm tired of all this sitting around and talking about it. I just wish that you Tandarens would make a choice already." Melisande was naturally active and energetic. Though she enjoyed her role as ambassador to the Tandarens, the steady and analytical way in which the Council operated was not always something which suited her personality.

They had no more time to engage in conversation, as they had come to the main Council doors. They had arrived at the Council chamber. The main Council Chamber was a large, circular room. It had 9 seats, one for each of the six representatives from the three cities on the planet, plus one at the head of the chamber for Chancellor Danara. The other chairs were for the Nairian Ambassadors. Most of the members of the Council were already there, conversing together in low voices, most no doubt in the same state of confusion as to why they were there this early in the morning. Also, surprisingly was present, Takeria's, Kaitoia's sister-in-law, and also the head communications officer of Chandos IV.

The Head Chancellor and Leader of the Tandarens, Danara, saw the three newcomers and came towards them. "Kaitoia, Seren, Melisande, I'm pleased to see you." said Danara.

"I'm sorry if we kept you waiting, Chancellor." Said Kaitoia.

"No, that's quite all right, you haven't. In fact, the others arrived only a few moments before you." She turned and addressed those present in the room. "If we are all assembled, I should like to begin the meeting. Please, assume your seats."

Danara's voice and presence were not overwhelming, but commanding in their soft way. At the sound of her voice, the groups which had been speaking in low tones together broke up and took their seats.

Danara began once more when they were all settled. "I thank you all for coming at such an unprecedented hour. I believe we are all aware that the time is drawing near to make our final choice regarding the matter of a first contact with Earth. However, over this past night, there had been a most unexpected and surprising development." She looked at Takeria and nodded for her to take over.

Takeria stepped forward and said, "As you all know, we have been monitoring the transmissions of Earth closely, seeking to learn what we can from them about the humans who inhabit the planet. However, just this past evening, we picked up a transmission from the Northern continent, which has changed whether or not our proceedings can go forward."

Takeria went to the center of the room, and placed a small sphere in the computer terminal. The room had darkened and the image of the transmission came up holographic ally in the center of the room. At first, it seemed to be no different than the myriad news reports that the Council had seen before. They knew that the humans were obsessed with hearing the same issue being debated from multiple angels and points of view. The Tandarens actually found this to be a very intriguing aspect of the human culture. Tandarens enjoyed a good debate; however, they didn't know why it had to take so much time on the side of the humans to resolve their debates into some kind of sensible solution. It sometimes seemed that they argued merely to put off making a difficult decision.

However, this seemed to be no ordinary news broadcast. It seemed to be an interruption of the regular schedule, as though it were some sort of special news announcement.

"That's Roxanne Ritchi. She's a reporter for a city in the western part of the Northern Continent; I believe that it's called Metro City." Said Takeria, indicating the short-haired, blue-eyed brunette that was currently on the holograph. "That area appears to have been in conflict for some time. But it might not have aroused our attention had it not been for this."

The transmission began to play out, and Roxanne Ritchi's voice was filtered through the speaker system. She was indeed interrupting regular broadcasts (mentioning things that were totally unfamiliar to those present, such as caffeine and high-fiber bars), to deliver a message which she said would quite literally change the lives of all listening forever. That word 'forever' seemed to trip her up, and she said, after a moment's pause. "Forever, huh? No hyperbole there at all, folks."

The Council members stared at each other in slight puzzlement, not sure what could have occasioned the change in her tone. It soon became clear the next second when another voice, from off-screen, said in a rather annoyed voice. "Ahem, we're live, Miss Ritchi."

The voice was smooth and debonair, but that didn't seem to effect Roxanne, who merely huffed, "Fine, strap yourselves in for the greatest interview in human history-" She almost gagged on that, though whether from laughter or disgust it was hard to determine. "With the most brilliant, gorgeous…" That seemed to be the line for her. "Okay, I'm not saying that."

Melisande grinned with approval. _You know, I like her already_.

Kaitoia returned the grin from her place across from Melisande. Being the only Gifted telepath in the room, she could easily sense the thoughts of all around her, had she so chosen. She really only listened to Melisande with any regularity, as she had the most interesting thoughts. She could also understand why Melisande appreciated this Roxanne Ritchi, and how she was not going to be at the beck and call of any man.

The voice from off-screen came once more. "What a prima donna. I was up half the night working on your intro!" A dramatic sigh, then, "Oh, forget it. Minion, Lights!"

Whatever the Council had thought they might see, they had never dreamed that the next sight which would greet their eyes would be a Tandaren male, dressed from head to toe in menacing black leather and spikes, his eyes narrowed in menace and his face twisted in an evil smile. With great dramatic flair, he launched into a speech where he promised the what he assumed to be terrified watchers that he would enslave the whole of _Metrosity_, welcoming them all to what he called THE MEGAMIND EXPERIENCE ! (The capital emphasis had been his own, a feat which Kaitoia had not known someone could do by mere inflection).

Whispers of confusion and shock passed through the Council members, and Danara signaled for Takeria to pause the transmission, while she could restore order. But Kaitoia, she merely stared at the holo image of the Tandaren in silence, unable to give voice to her feelings, for she was fairly certain she would not have known how to give words to them. But the very first time she saw Megamind, she was unable to shake the feeling that he was somehow very familiar to her.

"Takeria," said Danara, once she had regained control of the meeting, "what is the meaning of this? Are you certain that this transmission is wholly accurate?"

"What kind of communications officer would I be if I didn't check these things? I ran the scan myself four times to make this wasn't a glitch or a prank. But it's accurate. I can assure you that all of us in the communication center were just as mystified as you were. Please, though, let the transmission play out before you ask anymore questions. I believe that there will be more before it is over."

Takeria was right about that. For the next thirty minutes, the Council sat in stupefied silence, as they received a simplified history of the epic conflict between Megamind, and Metro Man, who turned out to be a Nairian. For years, the two had been locked in a conflict, which, as far as they could determine, had seemingly no end and no purpose. Megamind called himself the villain in the piece, an incredibly handsome criminal genius. Thing was, he never seemed to win. During the retrospective of three past battles that the Council saw, the plans he had come up with all ended in epic failures. Metro Man was the hero, with super strength, laser vision and power of flight, pitted against Megamind's brain power. Roxanne Ritchi seemed to have been cast in the part of damsel in distress. But there was something about her behavior which made it clear that she was not a victim and she was not afraid.

This was a triad not uncommon to either the Tandarens or the Nyra, both of which had stories of this type rife in their culture. However, this seemed to be very different. By the end of the transmission, Megamind had failed and was carted off to something called jail, which was assumed to be the humans' version of incarceration. And Metro Man was flying off into the sunset with Roxanne Ritchi in his arms.

When the holographic image of the transmission faded and the lights were restored to their normal level, a hubbub of voices broke out amidst the Council members. "Silence, please." Danara's commanding voice said, "We have all many questions, I'm sure. But they are most likely all of the same nature. Please be silent and let us all hear each other."

Eventually, silence fell over the chamber. "Now, what we need to establish is how this chain of events started. Takeria, when did you get this message?"

"At the tenth hour of the night, Chancellor." Said Takeria, "It was a massive transmission, flooding all of the channels in that particular area. It took us awhile to decode it, and when we did, we found the Tandaren and the Nairian. We felt it would be a matter of interest to the council."

"What can you tell us of these two?" asked Valtor, a Council member from the Southern City of Chandos IV. "How long has this conflict between them been going on? Why are they at war?" Valtor was a bit of a cynic and to apt to think the worse of anyone or anything he encountered. Kaitoia was not entirely sure why he had been elected to the Council, as he didn't get along with anyone. Then again, there is, in every body politic, at least one member who seems to think that only he has the right solution and will not be swayed by anything that anyone else says. Most of the time he was listened too and ignored, for as long as he had a chance to complain and criticize, he normally didn't do much else.

"Perhaps I painted the situation in a more serious light than it really is." said Takeria, "It's hardly a war. Since decoding this message, I've had my team focusing their attention on that area. There are backlogs going back at least seven years that we have found so far. But we have never run across any mention of extraneous deaths from the encounters between them in their battles, no casualties at all."

"That in and of itself is extraordinary." Said Melisande, "Two of our kind thrown together in a strange place, amongst an alien people. How could they have learned the proper control of their strangths to avoid damage to life, let alone property?"

"We're still trying to determine their back story. There are still several things we don't know. However, from what we've seen, the two seem to regard this more as an elaborate game, especially Megamind. Roxanne Ritchi has been kidnapped 658 times, but Megamind has never harmed her once."

"Sounds like a Gifted." Said Danara, dryly, "Only one as eccentric as a Gifted could find the stakes of life and death to be a game."

"He does not sound like a villain." Said another of the Council members from the Capital city, a female by the name of Avia, "At least not what the playwrights and poets would have believe that evil is, a total disregard for life and enjoyment in pointless destruction."

"What of the Nairian?" asked Melisande, "He seems to be thriving on all the attention, especially from that Roxanne Ritchi person."

"We can tell even less of him at this point, only that everyone in Metro City seems to regard him as a hero."

Melisande raised her eyebrows, "Hero, really?" It had only been in recent centuries that Nairians had entertained the idea of allowing their males to have the place of equals. For the most part, their folk tales, myths and histories had females taking center stage, females playing the role of heroine, saving the day and rescuing the male. It was only rarely that a man's voice was heard. Now, though they had been given the same opportunities in their society, a say in government and for the most part were considered equals, some traditions die hard, especially for those of the High Matriarch's family. Sometimes, the idea of a Nairian male being a hero could still be met with skepticism.

"Yes, the hero." Said Takeria, a little annoyed at having been interrupted, "He's the one who shows up to save Roxanne from Megamind. The two ate supposed to be in a romantic relationship. There are numerous reports that say they are a couple."

Melisande blinked, and then rolled her eyes. "She could probably do a lot worse." She muttered, "At least he has half way decent hair."

"It seems to me that you have more research to do." said Danara, "I want more on this situation. Who are the main players, where they come from, what they're like, everything down to what food they like to eat." She looked around at all of those on the Council, and her eyes finally settled on Kaitoia. "Kaitoia, I'm sure that we would all like to hear what you have to say on this. You have been one of the strongest supporters of the Earth venture."

Kaitoia had said nothing for this entire meeting, lost in her thoughts, as her mind struggled to fit together all the pieces of the puzzle. But at the sound of Danara's voice, she forced herself back into the present moment. "What would you have me say, Chancellor?"

"Does this event change anything? Can you tell at all how this will affect our future plans?"

Danara did not normally make such a request of Kaitoia's powers. She had been granted the ability to sense the future, but it was not her greatest strength. And besides, the future was ever-changing and fractured. To base any present actions upon what was seen in future visions could turn out to be dangerous. But, this time, Kaitoia understood the need. She closed her eyes, casting her mind out into the strands of future events trying to make out what she was seeing. The future images were burry and unstable; it was difficult for her to get a good sight of them.

However, after a few seconds, there was one image that seemed to stay longer then the others and was crystal clear. She saw the great, glistening city, all around her great chunks of metal, and herself lying prone on the street, in a pool of blood. Seren was there, and another woman who was kneeling over her, the face that she had seen before and that she could not put a name, too. And approaching from the distance, the Tandaren male, but with the ego and evil laughter gone from his face, replaced by a look of shock and absolute horror.

This she had seen before, in her dreams. She felt herself being pulled closer to the vision, closer to the events of the future, until suddenly Seren's presence in her mind sharply intruded. _"Mistress, what's the matter? Come back."_

Kaitoia gasped and opened her eyes, only to be met with the worried stares of the Council and Danara. She realized she must have become lost in her trance without being aware of it. "Forgive me," she said, "Vision casting is not always an easy thing for me. It's not one of my strengths. I happened to close to a particularly disturbing image and it was difficult for me to pull out of it."

"Forgive me, Kaitoia." said Danara, rather guiltily. "I should not have asked such a thing without allowing you some time to prepare."

"Please, do not blame yourself. I have one thing though which all of you will want to consider." She may not have seen anything specific (beyond the remembrance of her dreams and that she pushed to the back of her mind), but she did have one certainty. "Whatever our final choice is, when and if we proceed with a first contact, the location must be at Metro City. That's the only place where we can land without all of this ending in disaster."

A pause as this message sank in, and then Danara said, "We well take your words into our council, Kaitoia. For right now, this will be Council meeting is in recess. Be advised, for the next few weeks, you will be on call. I want to keep you informed of the details."

The meeting dispersed and the Council members began to exit the chamber. Melisande caught up with Kaitoia. "Well, cancel any plans you have for the next few weeks. We're going to be here for awhile, it looks like."

"Don't make it sound like a chores, Melis. I know that you're just as curious as the rest of us."

"Would you stay out of my thoughts? But I will admit to being curious. I personally would like to learn more about Roxanne Ritchi. She has spunk and great hair."

"As long as a woman has that, she automatically wins your approval. What about the Nairian, Metro Man?"

Melisande rolled her eyes. "No different from any man, I'm sure."

Kaitoia shook her hand, "You know, Melisande, someday you are going to fell in love, and I just hope that I am there to see it."

"Then I'm afraid you will be waiting a good portion of your 120 year lifespan for that. Find a hobby to pass the time. What about the Tandaren, rather good looking for a male of your species. I noticed you watching him very closely."

"Melisande, I am happily married."

"I'm not denying the validity of that. But still, it never hurts to do a little comparing. Come on, what did you think of him? You must have seen something that you liked."

Kaitoia blushed about five shades of purple. "I didn't look at him, at least not in the way you're thinking."

"Kaitoia-"

"Melisande, please, drop it."

Melisande may have pressed the matter in other circumstances, but she knew Kaitoia. When her friend threw up such pointed barriers, she knew better than to try and pursue the issue.

But Melisande had not been far from the truth. Something about that Tandaren had captivated Kaitoia. But it would be a long time before she really understood why.


	4. Predictions and Ideas

Predictions and Ideas:

For many weeks after that first transmission, the Council was in session almost every day, for hours on end. They watched the history of the conflict between Megamind and Metro Man, always seeing the exact same story playing out before their eyes. In some ways, it was almost entertaining. Megamind may have always suffered a spectacular defeat at the hands of his nemesis, but he always seemed to bounce back with vigor and energy. Even Metro Man had his moments. Despite the always weekly round of battles, there never seemed to be any question of Metro Man actually killing Megamind.

However, the transmissions began to lead to an entirely different set of issues. There were some on the Council who believed that a first contact now shouldn't be attempted. If the citizens of Metro City considered one Tandaren to be an enemy, what would they think if an entire squadron descended upon them? There were others who thought it a good thing that there had been some contact with aliens in Earth society; they wouldn't think it so strange in time. Danara maintained control of the meetings, doing her part to move the discussions along, but Kaitoia could see that the strain was wearing on her. The deliberation had gone on long enough. Kaitoia sensed that soon Danara would be calling for a vote, so that the matter could be decided once and for all. What that choice would be at this point, however, not even she could tell.

She had many things herself to consider. The curious sensation she had experienced when she had first seen Megamind (that there was somehow a connection between them), had not faded, but remained in the back of her mind. Try as she might, it was impossible for her to ignore it completely.

One day, around sunset, Kaitoia felt a need to gather her thoughts, alone and in silence. What she found, would turn out to be the opposite, but it wasn't a bad place to start.

Chandos IV was a beautiful planet; the Tandarens were still discovering the natural beauties which the planet hid. However, there was one place which only a little ways from Baktal that Kaitoia liked to think of as all her own. High in the hills above the city, there was a large tract of forest, and in that forest was a great waterfall. It stretched out dozens of feet in length and crashed down from a great height into a pool which was filled with crystal clear water. The spray from the fountain created a thousand different rainbows in the space of a single day. She had spent an entire day in the presence of the waterfall, and had seen how the light of the sun was different from hour to hour. She never grew tired of coming there. She liked to think that no one but herself knew of its location, though she logically knew that in all likelihood the place had been mapped and studied by the Tandaren scientists. She had only shown Kerestan and Seren this place, but even they rarely accompanied here there. They knew that perhaps everyone needed a place to retreat from the world. They never disturbed her unless it was something dire.

Kaitoia arrived as the sun was setting, the fading rays casting the upper reaches of the waterfall, casting the spray as golden flecks against the foamy, watery surface. The rest of the valley lay in comforting shadow. She sat down on a rock and leaned her back against a tree. She focused on the waterfall in front of her, hoping to find a way to clear her mind in the scene before her. She had been very stressed the last few weeks. There had been very little time for her to meditate. She sat still for an hour, and she did find some comfort from the stresses of the past few weeks. However, the main question had yet to be answered, and she did not know how to answer it any time soon. She had looked at it from seemingly every angle, and yet the issue of Megamind was one which seemed destined to elude her. It was not that she was particularly disturbed by it; indeed, a part of her was fascinated by it (as the mind of every Tandaren is when faced with a perplexing riddle). But she still would have liked some clues.

"What is the matter with me?" she said aloud, at last, "No matter where I turn, I find nothing but different parts to the same question. Maybe I really am going crazy, at last."

A cackling laugh answered her inquiry to the air. "Going crazy do you think?" said a voice which seemed to fit the laugh perfectly, "Well, if you're going crazy, it will be about time."

Kaitoia was, at first, startled by the voice, but when she recognized who was speaking; she could not help but smile. "Gargi, do I want to ask why you are here and how you found it?"

From the shadows emerged a stooped figure, hobbling along on a gnarly walking stick. "Ah, I think you know the answer to that, Kaitoia. Why else would a teacher be visiting her student except to give them some much needed guidance?"

Gargi had once been one of the most powerful Gifteds among the Tandarens. Her ability to predict the future was legendary, both for the clarity of her visions and the uncanny way they had of always coming true. Nowadays, age had slowed her down. She was almost one hundred years old. Besides her need to use a walking stick in order to move more easily, her skin was also wrinkled. Other aches and pains could plague her body at times. Her visions also did not appear with as great frequency, nor with the clarity that they once had. However, that was not to say that age had permanently crippled her. She was still active and energetic, and though living on her own and away from the Capital, she was not a stranger in Baktal, and all who knew her, loved her.

Kaitoia more than any of them, perhaps, cherished the role that Gargi had had in her life. Gargi had been her teacher in the early years of her life. After the death of her parents and brother when Tandara had been destroyed, Gargi had been the one constant in her life, the one that she could always count on. In a sense, though she would never be able to replace her mother or her father, Gargi had become her family.

"And tell me, having ceased to be your student fifteen years ago, what more could you have to teach me?"

Gargi stumped over to Kaitoia and poked her with her walking stick. "Do show some respect for your elders, my dear. The student never outgrows the teacher. And you need my help once more; otherwise you would not have come."

"That was not exactly the reason why I came. But I learned a long time that it was useless to argue with you."

"Of course. Regardless of whether you came to see me or not, I still saw you coming. Now, what is troubling you?"

Kaitoia knew that it would be a useless venture to try and contradict Gargi. She set about explaining what had been going on in the Council, in particular the escapades of Megamind. She had not described above half of Megamind's utterly failed attempts of defeating his nemesis, Metro Man, when Gargi was cackling with laughter. "Well, if this doesn't beat everything I have ever heard, a Tandaren being bested by a Nairian. I'm surprised that he's still keeping up at it. I'm sure that any other Tandaren would have given from sheer embarrassment."

"He's not like most Tandarens." Said Kaitoia, "He never seems to be set back by his defeats at all. I really don't think he would want to stop, even if he had the chance. He seems to enjoy it far too much. Indeed, I think that the desire for attention is part of the reason that motivates him."

Gargi looked at her with raised eyebrows. "You speak very decidedly for never having met him yourself. Is that the only thing that you find odd about him?"

Kaitoia looked away from her mentor, her face blushing a slight indigo color. "No, there is more, quite a lot more. I have been dreaming about him."

"Ah," said Gargi, with a knowing nod, "now we come to the heart of the matter. What are these dreams of yours about?"

"Well, it's difficult to explain. They used to be of only one event, but now, they are starting to be different. In one of them, I am with him in what I think is a garden; it has a lot of grass and trees, and paths made from rock. There are also places to sit. I think that it is a place of recreation for the humans; I think that they call them parks. But there is no one there, because it is night. There are bright, flashing lights all around me, which come from insects, like the Hotarus on that used to be on Tandara."

"And, well?" prompted Gargi.

"There's not much else to tell when it comes to that vision, it's just me and him in this garden with the Hotarus flying all around us. The second dream I have been having is in a place that is white, and smells strange. I'm standing next to this Megamind and we're looking down at a man, who seems to be very badly injured. For some reason, I know that Megamind is very worried, and I think, sad. And when I see that, I would like to try and help him, in some way. But I don't know how."

"Hmm, very interesting indeed. But that is not the only thing that troubles you is it?"

"No, there is another dream that I have more than the others. It is the clearest, and for some reason, that is the one that fills me with the most dread." She explained the vision that she kept having of the aftermath of a battle in a city, the expression on Megamind's face and the fact that she somehow knew that she was dying.

Gargi listened to this with evident interest, tapping her cane against the roots of the tree, deep in thought. When Kaitoia had finished speaking, she said, "How very interesting that this Megamind should catch your eye. He seems to be the opposite of everything you are. However, the fact that you keep having three consistent dreams of him is an indication that this is no passing fancy in your mind."

Kaitoia knew that Gargi was right. Though seeing the future was not her greatest strength, when she received a vision in her dreams, more likely then not it was something that she should pay attention. But that still did not explain the fact that she still felt so connected to Megamind, in a way even different than what she shared with Kerestan. She still wasn't sure how to explain it.

"Well, it seems to me that there is only one way for you to understand the connection that you have with him." said Gargi.

Kaitoia jumped slightly, and then remembered that Gargi would still be able to read her thoughts quite well if she still wanted to. She had been her teacher, after all. "What do you mean?"

"Given everything that you have been telling me and what you have been experiencing, I should say that the answer was obvious. You're going to have to see Megamind face to face before any of this will make sense."

Kaitoia stared at Gargi in shock. "See Megamind? Gargi, that's not possible."

"And why in the heavens should it not be possible? Your Council is talking of making a first contact with Earth. Why shouldn't it be possible?" Kaitoia didn't really know what to say to this. Gargi put a hand on her own. "Listen to me, Kaitoia. I know you, and I know how effected you were by the death of your family. Who wouldn't have been? Even now, it shapes who you are. You still find it difficult to face things which are outside of your comfort zone, anything that would threaten to upset your balance. I almost despaired of you ever having anymore close relationships, outside of me and Seren. Luckily, Kerestan came along and he has helped you marvelously in the years of your marriage. But you still seem to have a fear of the unknown, of what is yet to come. That's why your talent for seeing the future is only successful when it comes to your dreams. But sooner or later, I can tell you, you will have to face this."

"How do you know that I will have to?"

"I just do, darling. It is obviously a part of who you are. I did have one other reason for wanting to talk to you tonight. It's because I have seen great changes coming in your future, changes which will require you to leave behind everything that is safe and comfortable in your life and that will force you to face all the pain of the past. Oh, don't give me such a sour look; I know that there will be some sort of positive change for you. But, if you cannot bring yourself to face the test, you will spend the rest of your life, wondering what would have happened if you had."

Kaitoia looked long and hard at Gargi. "Perhaps another reason why I am no good at vision casting is because I would be hopelessly confused most of the time and would be of no use to anyone. How do you manage to operate with the riddles of the future bouncing around in your head?"

Gargi laughed her cackling laugh and hopped to her feet. "Well, some of us like riddles, Kaitoia. Unfortunately, there are many riddles ahead for you, and there will be no easy answers. But, I have confidence in you. You have always been strong, and one of my best students. Well, I must run along. I hope to see you before you leave."

"Leave? Gargi, what are you-" But Gargi was already gone, and the answer to her last question would be left unanswered.

Kaitoia made her way back home from the waterfall, her mind full of questions, but for some reason, she still felt a little better about where her life was going. She would not know until later that that conversation which she had shared with Gargi would be the beginning of a journey which would change her life forever.

* * *

Kaitoia's footsteps back to her home took her through the gardens which surrounded the Council's main building in Baktal. There she came across Danara, seated on the edge of one the fountains, and apparently in deep thought. When she saw her, she tried to leave quietly, not wishing to disturb her. However, Danara had better hearing that might be expected and when she saw Kaitoia, she called, "Kaitoia, please, join me."

"Only if I would not be disturbing you."

"No, you never disturb me." said Danara. "In truth, I'm glad that you happened upon me. I need your advice, my friend. Not as a Council member, but as a friend."

"You know I cannot make the choice for you." said Kaitoia, as she sat down beside Danara. "But what you ask for and I can advise you on, you know I will try to help you."

For a few minutes, Danara was quiet. She merely sat on the edge of the fountain and looked up in the sky, the stars high about them shining gently against the purple vastness of the Chandos system. "I sometimes look up at the sky," she said, at last, "I try to find the empty place where Tandara is supposed to be. I used to be able to find it quite easily. But now, sometimes it's very hard for me to find it."

"Perhaps that is for the best in some ways." Said Kaitoia, "It was a terrible tragedy, and I must confess, I still dream of it. But we cannot allow the past to dictate our actions in the present."

"Perhaps, but you forget, Kaitoia, how much the failure of the Great Experiment still haunts me. My father was one of the scientists who were involved with the project from the start. He was so sure that he would work. It would be his greatest achievement. He was one of the sole voices who never wavered from it, always saying that it would work, and pushing to have it go forward when it hit some sort of difficulty." She sighed and shook her head. "Perhaps it was a mercy that he died; the shame and guilt would have been too much for him to live with."

"Danara, no one can hold that against you. Nor is your father condemned. He is merely regarded as mistaken. It's not for you to try and right his wrongs."

"I do not try to right his wrongs, Kaitoia, but he is still a great part of what influences my thoughts and decisions. When I became Chancellor of the Tandarens, I promised myself that I would never make a mistake of the same magnitude my father did. I will not do anything to put my people in danger. That's what I feel so torn about. A part of me doesn't think that making first contact with the humans would be a disastrous move. And yet, there is just enough doubt to make me wonder."

"I think I can see your difficulty," said Kaitoia, "and no doubt if you asked the same question of Valtor he would give you a very different answer. But, in my opinion, I think that you need to ask what would be best for the Tandarens in the long run. Would our people truly benefit from a first contact with Earth?"

"That's the only thing that I don't know. Our new home if perfectly suitable for our needs, but I do wonder sometimes how strong we truly are. If I thought there could be some sort of way that this first contact could strengthen us and the Nyra as well, I would make my choice in a second. But there is still so much we do not know about the humans. There is only so much that can be learned from the transmissions we pick up from their planet."

"It's always been the Tandaren custom to exchange information face to face." Said Kaitoia, "That is why the art of conversation is valued so highly. That is why we find it so hard, I think, to truly understand the humans. Perhaps if we could speak with them, all our questions would be answered. However, before we could do that, we would have to establish a first contact. This is an intriguing logic problem, Danara. Out ancient philosophers would no doubt envy you."

"And they would be welcome to try and solve it, with my good wishes."

They continued on in silence for a few minutes longer and then, suddenly, like a flash of lightening in a dark night, it came to Kaitoia. "Danara, what if there was a way to meet the humans face to face, on their own territory, without giving away our secret?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"It sounds a little crazy, but hear me out. If we could send a few people to Earth, disguised, then they might be able to learn enough to give the rest of us on the Council an idea of what we are facing."

Danara was intrigued. "An undercover operation, you mean?" Kaitoia nodded. "The disguises would be easy enough to fabricate. We certainly have enough facial scans to create something convincing. Whoever goes could gather notes in relative ease and pass them onto someone in orbit."

"Yes, exactly. But I think this shouldn't just be on the sidelines. The more we can get, the better off we'll be. I think that this should be an experience that is fully lived among the humans."

"That might be a tall order, but not impossible. Of course, the Nyra will have to be considered. They are following this affair just as closely as we are. Whatever we do might eventually affect them."

"Yes, of course. It might not be a bad idea to try and bring them into this idea. After all, the Nyra resemble the humans more closely then we do."

Danara laughed and gestured to the reflection of the blue-skinned, big-headed aliens, staring back at them from the water. "You think we would stand out in a crowd."

"Perhaps, just a little."

Danara continued smiling, as she rose to her feet. I shall introduce your idea tomorrow. I doubt there will be much objection, except, of course, from…"

"From Valtor." The two of them said together.

"When does he not argue?" said Kaitoia.

Danara put a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you, my friend, you have been a great comfort and a great help tonight."

Kaitoia smiled and returned the gesture. "I am honored, and I would not want to be anything less."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Switching from the reaches of outer space, we come to more familiar territory, specifically, the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted, and it's most famous resident. However, Megamind is not exactly the most frightening super, criminal genius when it's the middle of the night. Who does Megamind turn to when he is troubled by dreams he can't explain? The answer might come as a surprise.


	5. Dream Connection

I couldn't resist the idea of bringing Megamind into this story. I hope that I write in character enough. Let me know what you think.

Dream Connection:

_Earth-24 hours before the official opening of the Metro Man Museum_

The Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted was a quiet place at night. There were strict hours which were adhered to every day, 365 days a year. When the Warden of the prison called lights out at approximately 9:30PM, the lights stayed out until 7:00AM the following morning. No exceptions. Well, there had been one exception in the history of the prison, an exception that was quite unlike anything that had happened before. One resident of the prison, perhaps the most of all the criminals which had had their address there, had always had a sort of ability to squeeze around the rules.

The Chief Warden of the prison, Charles Hayworth, knew how much Megamind as a villain by the citizens of Metro City. He knew that they believed him to be safest behind bars. Perhaps he was, but truth be told, Charles was sometimes hard pressed to find anything of the true villain in his blue-skinned, big-headed charge. Of course, he was very careful to hide that thought, especially from Megamind. He had his own role to play in Megamind's life, always that of the stern, emotionless prison warden who played up the villain's self-importance by insulting him. When Megamind had first started the whole super-villain role playing, Charles had been almost reluctant to do such a thing. He had not been able to get the memory of the three-year-old Syx out of his mind, the one who had built a tricycle out of license plates, and had somehow managed to blow out a wall and cause a prison break while he was at it. He had tried to be angry, but truthfully that totally innocent gaze had made it difficult, if not impossible for him to ever be angry at the little blue alien, no matter how odd he was.

He had never had cause to formally punish Syx, as the other inmates had affectionately called him. In all respects, the boy had been a model inmate from the first, a rather ironic fact, considering his upbringing. However, with the adoption of the whole super-villain persona, Megamind had expected the Warden to insult and reprimand him for his evil ways, while he got to respond with witty, self-assured comebacks. Megamind became almost became genuinely insulted when Charles did anything less. So, he had grown used to it over the years. And in fact, his daily spats with Megamind had become something of a bright spot for him in a job which was sometimes monotonous and not always fun. Though he would never tell Megamind, for fear of hurting his feelings, Charles was glad that there was one inmate in the prison who he would always be able to respect.

But tonight would prove to be different.

It was the graveyard shift. Everything was quiet in the prison. Charles was sitting in the guard's chair outside of Megamind's cell. He hadn't expected anything out of the ordinary. Megamind, when he slept, always went out like a light and slept like a rock. No, he was fairly certain that it was going to be in the next few days that Megamind attempted an escape. Charles was fairly certain that he wouldn't want to miss sabotaging the opening of the Metro Man Museum.

However, when he glanced up from the book he had been reading and happened to look up at the screen which showed the interior of Megamind's cell. He saw something that made him lose interest in the poetry of T.S. Eliot. Megamind was indeed asleep on his cot, but his face, instead of being peacefully in repose, was strangely disturbed. The Warden noticed that Megamind was twitching and flailing in his sleep, as though he was trying to run, but in the old curse of bad dreams, he was unable to run fast enough. Megamind was obviously in the grips of some nightmares. That caught the Warden's attention. Megamind had not had a nightmare since he was a child.

Charles really didn't know what to do. The best thing was probably to do nothing. Either Megamind would wake up or the nightmare would pass and would return to sleeping peacefully. Eventually Megamind did wake up, but not by sitting up bolt upright in bed. Instead, he was failing and moving round so much that he rolled completely off the cot and landing on the hard, cold concrete of the cell floor with a distinct thud.

On the camera's image, Charles could see that Megamind was panting heavily, his green eyes wide and unfocused; darting all around, as if trying to assure himself that he was back in familiar territory. It was only then that his voice echoed through the speaker which was constantly active in his quarters, specifically designed so that it could detect the faintest of whispers. "Jensen, I could use some lights in here."

Technically, it was supposed to be lights out for the entire building, and the guards had been told that they couldn't make any exceptions for the inmates. However, as the Warden, he could sometimes afford to bend the rules, especially when it came to Megamind. He flipped the switch that activated the lights in Megamind's cell. A second later, the room, which had been obscured in inky blackness a moment before was blazing with harsh, iridescent light. Megamind squalled and covered his eyes with his hands, in a rather melodramatic fashion. "Arrgh! Not so much light, Jensen. Are you deliberately trying to blind me? Is this some new fiendish plot to break me into submission? Because if it is, let me assure you-"

"It's the same lights on all the cells, Megamind." Said Charles, gruffly, though he was trying to hold back a smile. Even half-asleep from a nightmare, Megamind could still be the Master of the Melodramatic. "You know the rules, no special treatment, especially for you."

Almost at once, Megamind's sudden blindness was cured. He looked around him, at the cameras he knew were focused on him twenty-four hours a day. "Warden, if that you?"

"Good guess, Megamind."

"Where's Jensen? He's normally on duty during Tuesday mornings."

"Normally he is. But his daughter is in the emergency room. I volunteered, trying to help him out."

A worried expression flashed for a split second across Megamind's face. "Mattie, isn't it? Nothing serious, I hope."

"Shouldn't be. Broken arm. She'll be all right in a few weeks I expect."

"Oh, well be sure and give him my regards."

Who would have thought that Megamind would have built up a friendship with nearly all the guards who regularly sat outside his cell? There was never much to do if you were on guard for Megamind and the super villain himself was sometimes pressed for ways to pass the time. There was nothing much to do accept chat. In fact, Megamind not only knew the names of every guard who ran his cell, but the names of their spouses, children, pets and other random facts about the lives which they led. Any normal super villain would have taken advantage of such information. Megamind never did, yet another reason why Charles had trouble thinking of him in that way.

"I'll be sure and do that." said Charles, as he watched Megamind drag himself towards the chair in the middle of the cell and sit down. He looked at the image for a few seconds, noting that the troubled looked seemed to be remaining on Megamind's face. On impulse, he got to his feet and went over to the cell door. He looked into the cell trough the door's window. Megamind's back was to him, but he could still see that his shoulders were sagging. "Anything you want to talk about?"

Megamind's ears perked up when he heard this. "What makes you think that I, Megamind, criminal genius, would have anything to discuss with you, my lowly prison guard? I think not." A pause. "Why do you ask?"

"You looked like you were having a bad dream."

Megamind swiveled around just enough in is chair that Charles could see just half of his face. "Warden," he said, trying to sound stern and menacing, but not quite managing to get it as well as he normally did. "I do not have bad dreams. I give other people bad dreams."

"Fair enough. I just thought you might want to talk about it. Always helps me."

"Your opinion is noted." Said Megamind, and swung back around.

Charles stayed leaning against the door, waiting. For several minutes, Megamind said nothing, then, "I like the new décor."

"Good, I was wondering if you would notice the new additions to the forest scene."

"Yes, though I must admit, the smiling bunnies might be overdoing it. I never said the artwork was realistic, but must they make the natural inhabitants of the forest so juvenile-looking?"

"I'll talk to someone if it will make you feel better."

"No, don't bother. As I intend to spend very little time here once I take over the city, it doesn't matter."

A few more minutes of silence and then, Megamind swung around to fully face the Warden. "A hypothetical situation for you, Warden, since we're both here and I'm feeling unusually indulgent about allowing myself to add something to the meaningless void of your existence."

Charles did his best to suppress yet another smile. When Megamind started speaking in hypothetical scenarios, it inevitably meant that he wanted to work out some sort of problem which concerned himself. "Fire away."

"Say that I did experience a dream of a disturbing nature. Tell me, what's your opinion of dreams? Do you think they come true?"

Charles shrugged. "Not really, no. At least, not most of the time. After all, dreams the most people have when they sleep seem rather ridiculous when they wake up. Most dreams are just pieces of our day all jumbled up in a confusing mess."

"This dream wasn't. Though, I mean, still speaking hypothetically."

"Then what was your hypothetical dream about?"

"Well, for starters, it's in the middle of downtown Metrosity. There' debris all around, it looks like the aftermath of one my epic conflicts with Metro Man. Only all of his adoring, empty-headed masses are strangely absent and he himself is nowhere to be seen. The only people there are Roxanne Ritchi and another person, a woman who I think I know and who I get the distinct impression knows me as well."

"Have you seen her before?" asked Charles, curious. He knew that Megamind's experience with the opposite sex was woefully inadequate.

"No, I'm positive that I haven't. I'm sure that I would remember someone who had violet eyes."

Charles raised his eyebrows. "Violet? As in purple?"

"No, violet. They are most definitely violet and don't speak of it as such an impossibility. There are some humans who have violet eyes. Only she doesn't stay human."

"What do you mean?"

Megamind's eyes grew strangely distant and disturbed. Charles had not seen him look that way in, well, to be truthful, he had never seen Megamind look like that. That was when he began to wonder if this was more than just a random dream. "She's injured; I can sense it, even if I don't know exactly how. In fact, I almost think that she was dying. But then, when I try and get closer, she changes into someone like me."

Silence hung in the air after this confession, and not even Charles knew how to respond. Megamind never claimed to be afraid of anything, but now, Charles saw that the idea of the dream and the dying woman in it filled Megamind with a fear that not even the blue alien would have been able to understand.

"Wow, that sounds like quite a dream." Said Charles, because he really could not think of anything else to say.

Megamind seemed too lost in thought to make a quip about the Warden's general lack of witty comebacks. Indeed, Megamind looked more vulnerable then Charles had seen him in a long time. "It's the first time I've ever dreamt about someone like me. I don't know why it should strike me as so, disturbing."

Charles couldn't help but see that Megamind had stopped speaking in the hypothetical sense. He knew that he had to say something, even if his words were not the stuff of wisdom. But then, he suspected that if this was causing someone like Megamind to become confused, then perhaps he would be all right. "Well, it sounds like you might just have come across a crossroads in life."

Megamind looked confused. "Cross roads? Warden, there were no paths of opposing directions crossing in front of me anywhere in my dream. It might have occurred at a fairly important intersection at 54th and Main if I-"

"No, I mean, you're probably at a place in your life when some sort of big change is coming that sometimes manifests itself in dreams."

Megamind looked at him with piercing eyes. "But, I thought you believed dreams didn't actually come true?"

"Actually, I said most of the time I didn't think that. But, I also think that dreams can be pretty powerful in certain circumstances. Perhaps at some point in our lives, dreams can prepares us for what's to come. Unfortunately, I can't tell you what that is. You're going to have to figure it out for yourself."

Megamind laced his fingers together, as he normally did either when he was in the midst of being particularly evil, or in deep thought. In this case, it happened to be the latter. "So, almost like a vision of the future, if that what you're saying?" Charles nodded, "Well, that would make sense, I suppose. After all, given my highly advanced brain power, it wouldn't be so odd if members of my race possessed such an ability. But I've never noticed it in myself. I never can predict how my conflicts with Metro Man will turn out."(Charles decided not to comment on the obvious). "So, what do you think?"

"I wouldn't suggest that you forget it. However, simply being aware of it can make a lot of difference. Who knows, it could have been a once in a lifetimes thing. If it happens again, than you'll know."

Megamind seemed to consider this before nodding. "Well, than you, Warden this has been most helpful in my hypothetical scenario. Perhaps, if it had been real, I might have considered taking your advice."

"Well, thank you. That's a rare compliment coming from you."

"Don't expect it to become a normal event." Said Megamind. He got to his feet and stretched. "Well, I am starting to feel rather tired. I think it's time that I got some sleep. Tomorrow might very well turn out to be a busy day."

That was Megamind, nothing side-lined him for long, thought the Warden as he want back to his chair to turn out the lights in the cell. "I'll look forward to seeing why you think that, Megamind."

"Oh, you'll like it, Warden, I'm sure you will. Good night."

"Good night, Megamind." Charles turned out the lights once more and went back to reading his book.

Five minutes later, Megamind's voice came through the microphone. "Oh, and Warden?"

"Yes?"

"Tomorrow, back to business as usual."

Charles knew what that mean: he wanted to be sure that this little conversation would be kept a secret. This time, Charles didn't try to hide the smile that twitched across his mouth. "Right, Megamind, business as usual."

Megamind said no more. The Warden went back to reading T.S. Eliot. Silence once more settled over the night watch at the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted.

* * *

I kind of thought that the character of the Warden was kind of interesting in the movie. It obvious from the movie that Megamind inherited some rather odd ideas of what was right and wrong from his inmate guardians, but I also think that the Warden might very well have been the one which he looked up to as sort of a father figure. That connection between them will play a pretty important part in the story to come. Also, and not to give too much away, a certain museum curator named Bernard will also be playing a pretty important in this story too. For now, please review and tell me what you think.

Next chapter: What was happening in Megamind's sleeping mind, is being mirrored on Chandos IV. With Kaitoia's dreams starting to point her in a direction she may not necessarily want to go, it will take the encouragement of her husband to show her that sometimes, facing the unknown is the only way to find out where we belong.


	6. Go Where You Must

I was looking back over this story, and while I feel that it is for the most part understandable, there are some things which I might have found confusing if I were trying to read it. So, I thought that I would include a few references which are pretty important to this story, and will be explained at a later date. They are listed below, and if there is anything else that anyone would like to know, please let me know and I will include it in a later chapter. Also, if anyone wishes to see anything more about the Nyra or the Tandarens, I am thinking of putting something up on my profile. Please enjoy the chapter.

Words and references

**The Great Experiment**-Refers to the disaster that destroyed both Tandara and Nyra. A group of top scientists from both species attempted to reignite the core of the solar system's star, which had had long been fading. By all accounts, it should have worked, but something went wrong. No one really knows what, but it was enough to cause the very effect that they were trying to prevent. The sun's energy collapsed, causing a black hole which destroyed the two planets. Survivors from both planets were able to escape on space ships, but there were less then twelve thousand survivors out of both species, which had once numbered in the millions.

**Gifteds**-A term given to Tandarens that are especially proficient in a special area. It is the equivalent of genius in human terms. These areas can be anything from advanced mental powers (like those of Kaitoia) to technology and inventing (Megamind, obviously). Gifteds receive special training so that they can properly control their gifts, and put them to good use. They are also highly honored and respected in Tandaren society.

**Minions**-Five species on the Tandaren home world (one from each of the animal groups, mammal, bird, fish, insect, and reptile), that have acquired advanced intelligence and serve as helpers and advisors to their hosts. Gifteds are always paired with a Minion uniquely suited to their needs, while others are merely the helpers of families. They are much higher than servants or pets, becoming respected and cherished members of the family or the most devoted friends to their single masters, they have the unique position of seeing their charges in a way that is sometimes much clearer eyed than anyone else.

Go Where You Must:

_Chandos IV-The Same Night_

Kerestan had known what he was getting into when he had asked Kaitoia to marry him. The life of a Gifted Mental such as Kaitoia would be stressful and difficult. Also, considering her past, he knew that she would have a lot of extra pain on top of that. But, none of that had mattered to him in the end. Kaitoia's sprit and strength despite all that she had suffered, had spoken to him. He had loved her kindness, her courage, and her trying to find the good in everyone and everything which she encountered. Of course, she also had amazing violet eyes, but that had only been an afterthought, or so he said. In Tandaren society, the color of the eyes was considered to be the first point at which feminine beauty was measured.

Of course, Kaitoia's gifts could create tension. Every so often, she could become very tense, anxious, and at that point, she became almost impossible to deal with. She had Kerestan had had more than a few violent arguments over the years. However, only Kerestan would have had the grace to allow Kaitoia time to cool of without pressing her for reconciliation. Nor would anyone else have listened without prejudice to her apologies, no forgiven without rancor.

Kerestan was well suited to be the husband of someone like Kaitoia. But that did not mean it was always easy. No marriage ever is, but over the last few weeks, things had been more tense then usual. Not only had Kaitoia been putting in many long hours at the Council, her heightened abilities had kicked in over the past few weeks, abilities that she really could not control, namely her powers of foretelling the future. Kaitoia had tried to hide it, but this had evolved into something very different. She had been having troubles sleeping, struggling as though trying to escape from an unknown terror, or simply twisting and turning before slipping again into an uneasy sleep.

Like all Tandarens, Kaitoia and Kerestan were linked together. They could communicate telepathically, read each other's thoughts and since each other's moods. But their link was not enough for Kerestan to see the exact nature of her visions, which was in some ways a blessing. However, he could feel the turmoil which was engulfing her. All her efforts couldn't hide that from him. He had never felt her like this, and quite frankly, he was becoming concerned. And one night, he decided that he had finally had enough.

It was the fifth time that he had felt her awakening from her sleep with a scream on her lips that he finally decided something had to be done. Every other time, she had attempted to go back to sleep, but this time, after a moment of trying to calm herself (and not even that succeeded), she got out of bed. Her senses still careening from her dream, she went out of the room.

When she was gone, Kerestan sat up and looked after her, the concern clear on his face. "Sir, is everything all right?" Jocasta appeared from the tank which was in the bedroom, having appeared from the system of tunnels and pipes which allowed her to move around the house. "I thought that I heard something."

"You did, Jocasta." Said Kerestan, getting to his feet and walking over to the tank, "That was Kaitoia."

"Don't tell me she had another nightmare." Said Jocasta, "At this rate, neither of you will be able to get a good night's sleep. Has she said anything?"

Kerestan shook his head. "No, and that' what is torturing me. Why doesn't she think she can confide in me this time? She normally does after a certain amount of time."

Seren appeared from the balcony. She had obviously been aroused by the sounds of her mistress' distress and had managed to enter the room in time to hear the tail end of the exchange. "Perhaps it's because the visions she is receiving are unlike any that she has ever had before." She said, as she slithered up to Kerestan. "She had not even told me everything, I'm certain."

"What is she afraid of?" asked Kerestan, "She has had visions before, but none of them have ever disturbed her this much."

"None of them have appeared with such frequency or clarity." Said Seren, "And Kaitoia had much to fear from the future she sees I fear."

"What kind of things? Seren, what has she seen?"

"You know I can't answer that. Minion-Mistress confidentiality."

Kerestan looked at Jocasta in exasperation. "Don't look at me, Kerestan. You know the rules which must be abided by. I've never told Kaitoia anything you have told me in confidence, and I wouldn't if she asked me. Besides, there's no way I'm becoming involved in a dispute like this."

"If you want to know what's truly bothering Kaitoia, you must ask her yourself." Said Seren.

"You don't think that obviously simple solution had not occurred to me?" said Kerestan, but he was not in the mood to argue with the family Minions that night. He needed all his tact to try and pry information out of Kaitoia. "Well, fine, since you present such a strong case. I shall certainly attempt to see what I can learn from her." He turned from them and began to leave the room. But before he did so, he paused and looked back at Seren. "Seren, if this has to do with her future, why it is that I am always hearing her repeat the names from the past in her mind?"

Seren only shook her head. "I don't think even she knows that."

Kerestan went down to stairs to the main level of the house. He felt that Kaitoia was in the living area. When he got there, he paused for a moment, before making his presence known. There was Kaitoia, her legs drawn up around her chest, her arms wrapped around her knees. Her forehead was no racing against them, and her eyes were shut. Kerestan sensed the confusion and questioning in her mind, and his annoyance almost softened, almost, for he could not quite get over the fact that she was keeping something far to important to herself and she couldn't handle it on her own.

"_When were you going to tell me about this, Kaitoia?"_

Kaitoia nearly jumped out of her skin, as her mind was entered by the voice of her husband. She turned and saw him standing in the doorway with a stern, yet worried expression on his face. His arms were crossed over his chest, and from the look in his eyes, Kaitoia knew that it would be useless to try and argue with him. For a few long moments, husband and wife were locked in a silent contest as to which one would break and speak first. At last, Kaitoia broke the stare and turned away from him, unable to look him in the eye for very long when he gazed at her with such unflinching scrutiny. "What do you want to know, Kerestan?"

"Why must you make it could like an accusation?" he asked, "Kaitoia, I am worried about you. If this were simply a passing vision having to do with a minor event, I might be able to let it pass. But it's not. I've never known you to be so disturbed. What is this vision that you are having?"

Kaitoia seemed to hesitate, but Kerestan said, "I might be jealous to hear my wife of thirteen years screaming out the name of another man in her sleep, if I didn't already know that Sujan was your brother."

Kaitoia couldn't leave that unanswered. Kerestan needed to know the truth. "It's not Sujan I'm dreaming about. I don't know why my mind is associating these visions with him."

"Then what are they?"

Kaitoia told him of the three visions which had been occurring to her, mentioning only with great reluctance that all of them involved the Tandaren male known as Megamind. Kerestan listened, and when Kaitoia had finished he said, "So they all involve this Megamind?"

"Yes, I don't know why. Most of the visions I have had were only of people I knew, and none of them have ever been as clear as this." She saw the troubled look on Kerestan's face. "Kerestan, this was why I wasn't sure how to tell you. I don't know what any of those visions mean. I don't know that there's something I'm supposed to be doing, but I don't know what. I couldn't drag you into this. It doesn't involve you."

Kerestan shook his head. "Kaitoia, darling, it _does_ concern me. You're my wife, I'm connected to you. My life's fate was joined to yours when we married. But should it not be obvious what you have to do?"

Kaitoia looked at him, but then turned away. "_I think I know what it is already?"_ she said, telepathically, _"But maybe if you say it, it will be more real."_

"You told me that an undercover operation was in the works to be sent to Earth, I think you should volunteer to be one of them. Whatever these visions are, they are clearly connected and they are clearly meant to draw you to there."

Kaitoia sighed deeply and leaned back on the couch. "That's always been at the back of mind. My curiosity about Earth is no secret, but I…"

"You're afraid." Said Kerestan, tenderly, "I understand, the prospect of new things has always made you uneasy. This would be a large step indeed for you."

"Kerestan, I can't just leave. I have responsibilities here."

"Sp does Melisande, but from what you have told me, she has already been selected for the project to represent the Nyra. Besides you, as a Gifted Metal, would be able to pick up on the nuances of human behavior far better than anyone else."

Kaitoia had to shake her head and even smile a little. "Kerestan, all these things have gone through my mind, several times. I have almost asked Danara if I could go."

"But these dreams are holding you back?"

"It's not just the dreams; it's what's happening inside the dreams. I couldn't put you through that."

"What do you mean?"

Kaitoia seemed to hesitate before she finally admitted, "In the dream, right after the battle, I'm dying. I'm certain of it, Kerestan. This is the part I haven't told anyone, not even Seren. I know that if I do go to Earth, at some point, I will be in danger of my very life. And if there is even the risk of that, I can't begin to think of putting you in that position. I could never put anyone through that." She looked as if she wanted to go on, but she couldn't. She swallowed hard and looked down, and it seemed as though she were trying to hard to fight back tears.

Kerestan caught in her mind images and feelings of the day twenty-eight years before when she had witnessed the destruction of Tandara with her own eyes, and the eyes of her own parents.

"When you lost your family, you mean. You could not put anyone through that." He reached out and took one of her hands. Kaitoia could not answer and the tears which she could no longer hold back were all that he needed to understand. "Kaitoia, I didn't marry you to be secure. There are things I knew would test you and I. No one knows for certain what the future holds. You yourself have often said that the future changes often. For all I know either of us could die tomorrow. One thing I do know, this is about you and who you are. You need to do this, because it's a part of what you are. Go where you must to find the answers that you think you need. Otherwise, you will never have peace. And even if you have to go as far as another planet to find them, you will have my support. And no matter what happens, you will always have my love."

When Tandarens were joined in marriage, the bond became so strong that oftentimes words were unnecessary. Kaitoia sensed all that she needed to. In that moment, all of her doubts about what she had to do feel away. She was still perhaps afraid, but she was not had the strength to face what needed to be done. Perhaps all that she had ever needed was Kerestan to tell her that he would always her, and the assurance of his support, no matter what. Because, for all that she had achieved, Kaitoia knew that she would not have been anything without him.

She moved to put her arms around him and he held her close. They drew strength from each other. They need it more than ever now. For all his support, Kerestan knew that he was taking a risk in letting her go. The coming separation would test them in more ways then one. And it would change them both in ways that they could not have been able to imagine.


	7. Landing

Landing:

"I still say that you should have gone with the red hair. We could have been sisters."

Kaitoia cut her eyes towards Melisande, who was seated on her bed in their room on the ship, looking on with obvious amusement as Kaitoia wrestled with the subtler nuances of her disguise. "I highly doubt that would have been a good idea." She said, as she tried to pull the brush once more through her hair, and finally gave up in annoyance. "Honestly, Melis, how does your species put up with something like hair? It's a completely useless part of your anatomy."

Melisande pretended to be completely offended. "Completely useless? Of course not. It's essential to who we are as species. How else would we females be able to find a suitable mate if their hair wasn't there for us to judge them by."

Kaitoia rolled her eyes. "You don't really believe that." she said.

"Of course not, but it's been a useful deterrent to put of men that I wasn't interested in."

"I doubt that method will work so well on Earth. I read somewhere that men really go for the redheads."

Melisande scowled. "If they even try it with me, I'll tie their arms in a knot and shove their eyeballs up their nostrils."

"While I'm sure that you could do that and make it seem easy, remember what you were told?"

"Right, right, don't display super strength to the humans and try not to get to angry. I think I'll be able to handle that."

"You have it the easier of the two of is." said Kaitoia, as she turned back to look at her reflection in the mirror. You don't have to go around in disguise all the time."

She was referring to the holographic disguise that had been developed for the undercover mission to Earth. It had not been difficult to engineer the holo device; however, the disguise itself was going to take some getting used to. The appearance itself wasn't the problem, though Kaitoia had real idea of what was considered to be a great beauty on Earth. The disguise had given her light, clear skin, with a scattering of freckles across her rather flat nose and cheeks. She also had wavy blonde hair and it was that which was giving her grief. It wasn't that she thought hair in itself was strange, since she had seen it on the Nairians, but having some herself was so alien that it was taking more than a little getting used to.

Beyond her frustration with the hair, Kaitoia in her disguise resembled any other human. It was only her violet eyes which would probably garner a few stares. It had been the one thing which had not been able to be copied satisfactorily.

Melisande hopped off the bed and went over to the mirror. "If you keep pulling on it like that with that brush, then you'll be right back to what you look like on Tandara, only your head will be a different color and smaller."

Kaitoia smiled and laughed. "Oh, Melis, I'm glad that you're going with me on this mission."

"Actually, the two of you should not be complaining." said Seren, who was coiled up on the back of Kaitoia's chair, "You may have to wear that disguise Kaitoia, but at least you do not have to be wearing that collar." Seren was referring to the white collar that would render her invisible to the humans on Earth, and doing so with evident distaste. There had never been any question that Seren should go with Kaitoia; the question was how to disguise a six-foot long golden snake from being detected by the humans. At last, a collar had been developed which Seren would wear around her neck, but though designed to be lightweight and unobtrusive, that didn't mean that Seren found it more than a little degrading.

"I personally think that it suits you." said Melisande, "It gives you an air of authority."

"I'll do without the air of authority, thank you." said Seren, "But there is no other way out of it. From what we gathered, there isn't a species on Earth that resembles me. I also don't think that snakes such as myself, regardless of what their species may be, are generally seen slithering down the streets."

"I am sorry that you have to wear that collar, Seren." Said Kaitoia, stroking her golden head, "But you'll be able to go into places that will be closed to us. In a way, you're role in this mission will be as important as the work which me and Melisande will be doing."

"Why must you keep thinking of it as a mission, and not more of an adventure?" asked Melisande, "We are supposed to be finding out all we can about human society, and I think that includes finding out what they do for fun."

"For the people in Metro City, up until a few weeks ago, I think it mainly consisted of watching Megamind and Metro Man battling it out." said Kaitoia, "Not that I can blame them. If I had lived there, I'm sure that I would have enjoyed it as well. I was almost afraid that that Nairians wouldn't allow you to come after the death of Metro Man."

"Of course not. This still will affect all of us. I find it hard to blame Megamind for that, anyway. It was quite obvious that he never meant to do it."

"Besides, considering his change of heart, when he decided to stop his pursuit of villainy and come to the defense of the people who needed him makes up for that." said Kaitoia, "It makes me wonder if it was not in him all along."

"Of course, that had to send that old troublemaker Valtor off again, didn't it?" said Seren, "Honestly, does nothing ever satisfy that man? First, he can't agree to this first contact because he fears that the humans would only see us as a threat because of Megamind, and then he says that going to Earth had the potential to completely tip the balance of power."

"I gave up trying to reason out Valtor long ago." said Kaitoia, "My only hope is that when the next election rolls around for his city, he will be voted out of office."

"Personally, I think it says more about the humans tolerance for new situation than we thought at first." Said Melisande, "Even for an optimist like me, I did wonder at times if we would ever make it to Earth. If it hadn't been for your insistence that the humans deserved a chance, we might never have made it this far."

"I don't want to be the only one to take credit for this affair." Said Kaitoia, "Besides, we still have to be cautious about revealing ourselves to the humans. Valtor is right, the last thing that we want to do is make the humans think that we're a precursor to an invasion force. There might still be distrust that we are not aware of because Megamind is an alien. We don't want anyone looking to closely at us. Do you remember the cover story that we came up with?"

Melisande groaned. "The one you made me repeat 500,000 times? Of course, I could say it in my sleep. I'm Melissa Thornton, Your Kaitlin Fellerman. I graduated from some place called Dartmouth, with a major in astronomy. You're a photographer or something to that effect. We're cousins and we're rooming together. Do I have everything right, or do you want me to recite social security numbers and birthdays?"

"Melisande, it is necessary we have some sort of back story. We can't just show up out of nowhere. From what I have gathered, the humans don't tend to ask questions, but when they try to look into your past, they do it rather thoroughly. We need to know what we are going to say well, especially considering that we will be interacting with a good number of them on a day to day basis."

"I thought that the identification papers we were given were supposed to take care of that for us." Said Melisande, "The way I see it, all you need is the right papers to be considered someone on Earth, either that, or a lot of money."

"Fortunately, we will be having plenty of both. Fabricating the back stories for us was easy enough; I don't think that we will be forgiven so easily for all of the effort that was put into fabricating the bills which these humans use for currency."

"Look, I'm not trying to be difficult. I'll be careful. You can trust me."

"I don't think that you're mother would have allowed you to come if she didn't think you could be trusted. But, we are going to a planet we know practically nothing about. We just have to be careful what we say."

Melisande grinned. "I'm actually looking forward to that. I did always want to try my hand at performing. Of course, I don't have your advantage; you're going to be able to read the humans' minds, so you'll be able to hear what they say before they even say it."

"I would like to try and avoid that as much as I can." Said Kaitoia, "I want to be able to get to know the humans using their costumes and conversation. I think that it will prove to be quite engaging."

"I hope that you find it to be so, because we will have to be doing it for at least six months."

They both became lost in their own thoughts at this point, thinking of the families which they had left behind. Kaitoia had known when she took this assignment that it would it be a long term one. In order to gain a good understanding of human behavior, the agents for both the Tandarens and the Nairians, would have to stay on Earth for many months. It had been unavoidable, but it was still probably her greatest regret about going to Earth.

Kaitoia already missed Kerestan greatly. She couldn't help but remember when they had said goodbye to each other the morning that she had left. _"I suppose I don't have to tell you that I will miss you."_ said Kerestan, telepathically.

"_You don't, because I miss you already."_

Kerestan managed a small smile. _"And yet, you also seemed very excited these past few weeks, especially ever since Megamind turned hero."_

"_Has it been that obvious?"_

"_Don't worry, only to me. A part wishes I could go with you. From what you have told me, some of Earth's natural landscapes sound beautiful."_

Kaitoia smiled. Kerestan, being an artist and sculptor, was always fascinated by the ways in which light, color and shape contrasted off of each other. _"If our mission succeeds and we can manage to open a first contact with Earth, you might be able to see them with your own eyes, and I'm certain no other artist could capture them as well as you can."_

Kerestan's eyes were tender, as he brought one hand up to caress Kaitoia's cheek. _"I must confess I almost wish I had the power to make this moment last forever, so I wouldn't have to be parted from you."_

Kaitoia brought her arms around his neck and leaned his forehead against his. _"A part of you will be with me. Wherever I go, there you'll be."_

They kissed each other, lingering and tender, seeking to etch the feeling of holding each other like this into their memories so that it wouldn't fade. Their minds, joined at marriage, brought to the forefront their deep and abiding love for each other. And even the pain of their separation was not enough to come close to breaking that bond, which would always stand strong.

The tender moment was brought to an abrupt end by the sound of barely controlled weeping. Kerestan and Kaitoia looked to see that they had been joined by Jocasta, in her spider-like robotic body which enabled her to move around the house when she wasn't in her tanks. Poor Jocasta. She had probably had a harder time with the idea of Kaitoia being away than had Kerestan. Being a member of the Yun species, Jocasta was naturally sensitive to changes in the family environment, and when it seemed like one of them was going away for an extended period of time, it was difficult for her to come to terms with it. Now that the time had come to say goodbye, all the emotion that she had valiantly to suppress over the past few weeks could not be kept back.

"No, please, don't let me interrupt you." She sniffed, "I'll just stand here, all along and forgotten, waiting in vain for you to say goodbye to me. I know that in the big scheme of things, I don't really matter."

Kaitoia smiled affectionately and came over to Jocasta, who scuttled forward to stand in front of her. She placed both hands on the glass tank in the middle of the spiderlike body. "Come now, Jocasta, how could I forget you? I will miss you and you're cooking. I'm also depending on you to take care of Kerestan. You know how much trouble he can be."

Jocasta sniffed and managed a small smile. "I will certainly look out for him, Kaitoia. You can depend on me."

"I don't doubt it." said Kaitoia.

Seren came into the room at this moment, having already said her farewells and deciding to give her mistress and her husband time alone. "Mistress, the transport is here. It is time."

Her last view of Kerestan and Jocasta had been the two of them standing on the doorstep and waving goodbye. She had been strong up until that point, but once they had left her view, she had allowed a few tears to fall down her cheeks. She did not know when she would see Kerestan again, and the uncertainty was almost enough to make her reconsider going to Earth at all.

But, here she was, on a ship hurtling towards an unknown planet. In less then twelve hours, she would be on Earth, operating under a holographic disguise and acting out a part she had never thought to play. True, a part of her was petrified. But she had also become very curious. Since making the choice to go Earth, her disturbing dreams had stopped, as if now that the choice was made, she now would be able to focus on the present moment. She would not be able to forget the dreams, but the less she knew of the future, the greatest unknown of all (the future), the more confident she could feel of completing the task before her.

"I think we both need to get some rest." Said Melisande, breaking into her thoughts, "We'll be at Earth in a few hours. We might as well be well rested when we transport down."

"I don't think I'll argue with you there." Sad Kaitoia, as she took one last look at the blond-haired, violet-eyed reflection staring back at her. Despite how strange it seemed to her, she was prepared to get used to it. She suspected that she would be having it for awhile. It was the face of her future.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: We finally catch up with the characters we all know and love in the movie. My take on how our favorite blue alien is taking to being a hero, and how Roxanne and Minion are dealing with it too.


	8. A New Hero

Finally, we get to see the characters we all know and love from this movie. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about writing for Megamind and Roxanne and Minion. But once I actually sat down to write it, I just loved every moment of it. I hope you like it, too.

A New Hero:

_Earth-Six weeks later_

If one had asked Roxanne Ritchi how her life would have turned out when she graduated from college, she would have said that she wanted to be a top reporter in a city with real issues and where she could make a difference. Of course, after a certain number of years, she would become so good at it, that she would earn a Nobel Peace Prize.

Naturally, as so often happens, life had taken a surprising turn which she had not expected at all. She certainly still planned to earn that Nobel Peace Prize someday, but she had never expected to be cast, however unintentionally, in the role of damsel in distress in the epic conflicts between Metro Man and Megamind. She had also never expected to fall in love with the same super-villain, who later became a hero and saved the city from the ravaging mad man Titan. Yes, her life had taken an unexpected twist, but she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

It might have struck many people as odd that Roxanne and Megamind had so quickly become a couple. Then again, Roxanne actually knew Megamind far better and longer than most anyone gave her credit for. She had, after all, been his almost exclusive victim for years before she had been his girlfriend. Even as a victim, she had really only been frightened about the first five times when he had kidnapped her. After she had come to the realization that Megamind would never hurt her, she had come to see it all as the grand performance that it was. Over time, she had actually come to enjoy it. It wasn't for the thrill of being rescued by Metro Man that she had endured 658 kidnappings. Rather it had been the witty repartee which she had enjoyed with Megamind and his bumbling, grandiose plans which never worked.

Now, as the real girlfriend of the hero, things hadn't exactly calmed down. News seemed to travel fast in the world of supervilains, and a few had already arise to try and challenge Megamind's protection so far, none had come close to defeating him, and having worked the play from both sides now, Megamind knew what constituted a villain. None of his challengers had impressed him with their presentation.

The kidnappings hadn't necessarily stopped yet, either. A few of the villains had attempted kidnappings and two of them had even succeeded, though she remained a captive all of fifteen minutes before Megamind had burst in, with the usual accompaniment of smoke, explosions, and heavy rock music. It was pretty evident even to the ordinary citizens of Metro City that Megamind was protective of Roxanne, in a way not even Metro Man had been. Therefore, some of the smarter villains (or to use Megamind terminology, those villains who were less dumb than the dumber ones), were trying to keep their distance from her and only focusing their attention on Megamind. For Roxanne, it continued to be all in a day's work, and she enjoyed it a whole lot more.

Roxanne was also one of the privileged few to have undenied, 24 hour access to the Lair, something no many people had. Megamind's secret Lair wasn't all that much of a secret anymore, but hero tradition dictated that heroes needed to have some kind of Secret Lair, and so secret it continued to be, only the evil part of it had been dropped. Megamind had actually found that he preferred having a secret lair to an evil one; he thought it gave him a more mysterious persona.

Be that as it may, Roxanne was always welcome to the Lair, and she didn't need an invitation. She came there that day for no particular reason, if only to see and talk with Megamind. Ever since the latest assaults from the current challenger (a large, Neanderthal-type guy who called himself Destruction Worker), she hadn't really gotten to see him much off-camera.

She entered through the holographic wall which led into the Secret Lair, and was immediately greeted by a chorus of happy electronic barks and a swarm of a dozen brain bots descended upon her. The brain bots had quickly grown used to the fact that Roxanne was now a regular part of their Daddy's life and not just as Megamind's kidnappee. She had become almost as parentally fond of the brain bots as Megamind. And she was pretty sire that a few of them already regarded her as Mommy.

One of the brain bots nuzzled up close to her arm and sparked affectionately. She smiled as she patted the dome. "Hey, there, 147. Is Megamind here?"

147 barked an affirmative and taking Roxanne's hand with one of her tendriled claws, the brain bot (who Megamind insisted was a female, though Roxanne was still clueless as to how he could tell such a thing), began leading her down through the hallway towards the main workshop area of the Lair. A few of the brain bots hovered on ahead, and a second later, a series of heavy, clumping footsteps were heard coming towards Roxanne.

"Hello, Miss Ritchi," said Minion, in his normally cheery voice, as he appeared from behind the invisible car (which was not invisible at the moment). "It's nice to see you."

Roxanne smiled at Megamind's loyal fish companion. "Hi, Minion. Is Megamind here?"

Minion's expression became slightly concerned. "Ah, well, yes he is. He's very busy."

"Oh, he's in one of his moods, isn't he?"

"Yes, you could say that." said Minion.

Megamind was a genius; there could be no denying that. His intellectual capacity was stunning and the rate at which he could learn and build things outstripped even the smartest human. Even Roxanne had to admit that, and she appreciated it more that she was his girlfriend. However, being such a genius meant that he often went into a mood which could only be described as manically obsessive. Once an idea seized him, he could spend hours or even days, planning, designing, building and testing. The incredible thing was he could do it with multiple projects at multiple stages of development. He hardly ate or slept during such times, and it was fortunate that his species' bodily needs were somewhat different than that of a human. Now, that he was a hero, for some reason, all of his inventions were more successful. However, there still could be some trial and error, and judging by the look on Minion's face, it appeared that there had been a lot of trial and error.

"What's he working on now?"

"Well, you remember hw we had that Star Trek marathon a few weeks ago?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll never forget how Megamind reacted to Spock's pointy ears. He said they looked like his."

"Yes, except for the color difference. Well, to put it mildly, I'm not sure if was the best idea."

"Why not? I thought it gave him a boost of confidence to see aliens working with so closely humans, even if it did take place at some point in the future."

"It wasn't that, it was well, it gave him ideas."

"I don't really like the sound of that."

Before Minion could respond, there was a loud crash, followed by several bonks and thuds, and a couple of zaps of electricity. A moment later, Megamind burst through the red curtain which hid a large part of the Lair. He had goggle on his head, indicating that he had just been working on something large, dangerous, and electronic. Knowing Megamind, it was probably a mix of all three.

His face confirmed the fact that he was in the midst of one of his creative modes. He seemed way more charged than usual, like he had drunk an entire pot of espresso, including the bottom dregs the night before, and was still going on that. That didn't make his joy at seeing Roxanne any less, though. When he saw her, it was as though a light went off in his eyes, and she was all he could see when she was present. Roxanne liked that, it made her feel special.

"Roxanne, I thought I heard your voice." He bounded up to her and engulfed her in a hug. "You're just in time. I am about to make invention history. You'll never guess what I've just made."

"Uh, sir," said Minion, "are you all right?"

"Everything is perfect, Minion. I just managed to find the problem with the geno-stream mapping technology. I just rearranged the resquencing algorithms and-"

"Uh, Megamind, could you please repeat that in English?" said Roxanne, who sometimes wished that her boyfriend came with subtitles."

Megamind whirled back around and said, "Of course, Roxanne. I'll do better than tell you. I'll tell you." He grabbed her by the hand and began dragging her into the Lair's primary testing space. She caught a glance of Minion sending her an apologetic look. She wasn't sure if she liked where this was going.

Megamind brought her over to what she could only assume was an arrangement for his latest invention. Two metal platforms were situated about twenty feet away from each other. On one of the platforms, there was a solitary apple. There was a computer bank a few feet away from there, all of them flashing with readouts which made absolutely no sense to Roxanne. Excitedly, Megamind pulled her in front of the computer screens. "Roxanne, look, I built one, I built one."

"You built one what?"

"A transporter," said Megamind, "you know, like we saw in Star _Tack_. I built one."

Roxanne looked at him in shock. "You actually built a transporter? Megamind, that's impossible."

"Well, of course it's impossible if we go by the way that they designed it on the show. However, with just a few modifications, it can easily be possible. See, we can't start with the matter resequencers, the basis of bodily transportation needs to start with the smallest possible genome structures of-"

"Megamind," said Roxanne, "could you just tell me what the end result is?"

"Oh, yes, the end result if that I have succeeded." He gestured dramatically to the computers and platforms. "This, Roxanne, if the world's first transporter. It's a colossal achievement using the most detailed technology, its artistry and science mingled in the most magnificent manner. It-"

"Actually works?" said Roxanne with a raised eyebrow.

Megamind looked offended. "Of course, it works. Everything I make works now that I am a hero and fighting on the side of good and right. I'll prove it. Behold, Roxanne and prepare to be astounded by my awesomeness."

With a great flourish, he pushed a button on the control panel. There was a great deal of blinking and flashing on the computers and Roxanne thought that she saw a white light emanating from the platform on the left, where the apple was located. But, beyond that, nothing happened. After five seconds, Megamind's cocky expression faded. He frowned, and muttering, he started looking over the computer readouts. "It should be working; everything was going perfectly in the simulations a few seconds here."

Minion came up to him and said "Sir, I told you that this platform wasn't ready for bio-transport just yet. We don't want anyone to get hurt."

Megamind rolled his eyes and said, "It's an apple, Minion. It hardly constitutes a global phenomenon, doesn't it?"

"Well, no, but maybe we should take this as a sign that we need to do more testing."

"Never put off till today what you can do tomorrow."

"It's the other way around, sir."

"What?"

"That saying; never put off till tomorrow what you can today."

"Exactly my point, Minion. I had a good feeling about this when I woke up and I don't want to miss this opportunity."

"Uh, Megamind" said Roxanne, who had just noticed what the problem might be. "Is that computer supposed to be connected to the others?"

Megamind and Minion looked where she was pointing and saw that one of the computer screens was blank. Megamind's face seemed to show dawning realization, then his face flushed bright indigo as he comprehended the mistake he had made. He quickly scurried around the computer banks, stumbling over his words his words in the process. "Uh, of course, it's supposed to be plugged in. I left it off on purpose so that you would have the opportunity to notice it, yes, that's it. And you did, just like I knew you would. You're so perceptive."

The computer screen came back to life, and it seemed that the rest of the computers came back into harmony with each other. Megamind appeared from behind the screens, his face having regained its former excitement. "Now, prepare to be amazed."

For it a moment, it looked like it would actually work. The computer screens blinked and whirred, the light Roxanne had seen before grew brighter and the small apple in the center of the platform began to shimmer. But, then, the computer screens began blaring an alarm siren, smoke appeared from around the base of the platforms, and the next second, the apple and about five of the computers exploded.

The three of them ducked for cover, and once the smoke had cleared, it was clear that the computers were shot, the platform was blackened and streaked with ask and covered with charred apple pieces.

A moment of silence, and then Minion said, "Well, that is the farthest you've ever gotten, sir."

Megamind looked rather dejected. "Oh, what's the point? I get so close, I think everything is ready and then this happens. It's a lost cause." He walked over to his big leather chair and slumped down in it.

Roxanne looked at Minion. "How many times has he tried this?" She asked in a whisper.

"I lost count after twenty-five." Minion confessed.

"I've never seen him like this before. He never gives up."

"Well, you have to remember he's never been in a situation like this before." said Minion, "He's not used to things not working out the first time."

"But, nothing he built ever really worked." Said Roxanne.

"Well, technically, they were all destroyed, so we never did really see whether they worked or not. Thing is, Roxanne, most of the time Megamind programmed his machines to not be as destructive as they could have been, especially when it came to you. I think he always wanted to make sure that you were never hurt. Just don't tell him I said so. It might ruin his former reputation."

Though Roxanne had realized the fact that she was in little or no danger from Megamind hurting her relatively early in the kidnappings, it had never occurred to her that what he was doing was deliberate. She had always ascribed his failures to bumbling ineptitude. Now, she began to understand why Megamind was succeeding at being a hero and just how much damage he could have done if he had truly set his mind to evil.

"So, what's the difference now?"

"Well, now he had to not only program and build all his machines, he has to build them to win. And I think we can both agree, Roxanne, nine times out of ten it's easier to create mayhem than it is prevent it."

"That's very true." said Roxanne, looking at Megamind's mournful figure. "I'll go over and try to give him some encouragement."

"That's exactly what I think you should do. You always inspire the best in him. And I shall be discreet and withdraw to go do something that will put me far away from the two of you, so that you can have privacy." Roxanne smiled after the retreating figure of Megamind's fish companion. Megamind was fortunate to have such a good friend.

Roxanne went over to Megamind, who was leaning on another set of controls, face in his hands, eyes big and mournful. He looked for all the world like a little boy who had accidently broken his favorite toy and was sure that the world would be coming to an end because of it.

"Megamind, why did you even want to build a transporter?"

"Oh, Roxanne, can't you see why? I would be able to be at the sight of any trouble within seconds of its being reported. The supervillains wouldn't be able to see me coming. I would be able to defeat them so easily."

"I though you liked the thrill of the chase? Are you telling me you would give up the invisible car?"

"Oh no, of course not. The invisible car is perfectly adequate for chasing down bank robbers and these small time villains who have the nerve to add super to their names. No, They're not what concern me. I do believe that there is a good chance a villain worthy of being called my adversary will come along at some point in the future, and that's when the real trouble will begin. I have to be ready for that day, Roxanne. The people of the city are depending on me, and most of all you're depending on me. I couldn't bear to let you down."

He spoke with such earnestness that Roxanne was truly touched to Megamind's utter surprise, she sat down in his lap and kissed him on the mouth, long and lingering.

"What on earth was that for?" he asked, though he would be lying if he said he hadn't enjoyed it.

"You know how irresistible you are when you get all noble?" said Roxanne.

"Really?" said Megamind, whose ears definitely perked up when he heard this. "You think I'm _earriestable_ when I talk like this?"

"Oh, yes, very."

Megamind returned the smirk and pulled her close. "Well, if I had known good boy talk was what turned you on, I would have employed it, sooner in my kidnappings. It might have brought you to my arms sooner than I imagined."

Roxanne regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "You really imagined me being in your arms when I was a captive?"

Megamind's face and ears flushed bright indigo, a sign Roxanne had learned meant he was very embarrassed. "Um, I, uh, well, standard day dreaming for super villains I'm sure. I mean, not that I ever would have done anything to frighten or hurt you, I…"

Roxanne laughed and said, "Relax, Megamind. Look, I'm trying to say it doesn't matter what you make. It's what's in your heart that counts. You won't let me down, I know you won't. I believe in you."

Megamind entire face lit up when he heard that. He was till getting used to being praised, rather then being scorned and booed everywhere he went. All he had ever really wanted was peoples' respect, even as a super villain. Now, he was not only respected, but liked. The concept was still so new to him that even the smallest compliment, particularly from Roxanne, was enough to set him beaming. "Really, you believe in me?"

Beneath all the bombast and confidence, there was still something that was quite naïve and innocent about Megamind. That was only one of the things that Roxanne had fallen in love with. "Yes, I really do believe in you."

"I still wish I could get my transporter to work, though." Said Megamind. Though encouraged on the self-esteem issue, it was cleat that he still very much wanted to have his latest invention work.

"Well, you can't give up now. You were so close from what I saw. You know what happened when Thomas Edison tried to invent the light bulb?"

Megamind, of course, knew all about Thomas Edison. He was familiar with nearly every major inventor in history. "Of course, he tried ten thousand times before he finally got it right."

"And you know what he said when people asked him about it. He looked them squarely in the eye and said, I didn't fail, I found out ten thousand ways to not make a light bulb. You'll say the same thing to people when they ask you about this transporter. Because you only need to find one way to make it work."

"You really think that?" said Megamind, almost hopefully.

"I always do." said Roxanne, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

It was as if the light of inspiration had flooded back into Megamind's brain. Laughing, he flew to his feet, Roxanne still in his arms and twirled her around. "Well, what are we waiting for? To work. Minion-"

At that very second, alarm klaxons started to go off in the warehouse. Roxanne winced at the loud sound and was momentarily blinded by the bright lights. "What is that?" she shouted over the blaring sirens.

"It's my new alarm system." Replied Megamind, "It's hooked up to the bran bots who are patrolling around the city. I programmed them to alert me at the very first sign of trouble. Do you like it?"

"It's certainly attention-grabbing. Do you think maybe you cold turn it off now?"

"Oh, right, yes, of course."

Megamind pulled a switch on the control board, and the alarms died away. No sooner did Roxanne get the ringing out of her ears, then Minion burst into the room, carrying what looked like a brain bot with half of his tendrils missing and soot caked on his glass dome. "Sir, 56 just came back. He looks damaged."

The brain bot in question managed to rouse himself from Minion's arms, and hovered towards Megamind, looking an injured dog crawling the lost twenty feet towards his Master. Then, suddenly his lighted dome flared sickly. He let out a gurgling noise and promptly collapsed.

"56!" cried Megamind, as if he had seen a very dear friend just get gunned down. He hurried over to the crumpled form of the brain bot, as did several other of Megamind' robotic servants.

"Sir is he all right?" asked Minion, who seemed stricken and on the verge of tears, "Can he be saved?"

"I don't know, Minion. He might be beyond repair. He used his last reserves of power to get himself here, sacrificing himself for others. This is too cruel."

One of the brain bots, who Roxanne managed to identify as 147, had been looking closely at 56. However, she was not in the same mood of despair that everyone else seemed to have plunged into. In fact, she bonked 56 on the head and barked something that Roxanne could have sworn was an irritated reproof. Instantly, 56 seemed to come back to life, which elicited excited and relieved reactions all around, Roxanne resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Even the brain bots were overly melodramatic. This was some family she was getting involved in.

Not that 56 had miraculously recovered, he was able to show Megamind the scene which his sensors had picked up. It was a holographic representation of the old Hitchcock Observatory, which Megamind was in the process of rebuilding. It was a scene of total mayhem, with steel beams broken in two lying scattered on the ground, concrete dust everywhere and above it all, a big, beefy guy who looked to be about eight feet tall. His hands were covered by huge gauntlets that had axes, screwdrivers and jackhammers all over them. He had muddy shoes, dirt caked pants and shirt, and a bright orange vest on. Around his waist was a belt that had various tools on it.

"It's Destruction Worker." Said Megamind, "I would know that soiled physiognomy anywhere. Honestly, does that ape have no sense of style or bodily hygiene?"

"Sir, wait. I think he's trying to say something."

The hologram moved in closer to Destruction Worker and his ugly, bulbous faced and beady eyes took over the image. "Megamind," said Destruction Worker, in a voice that was thick and plodding, indicating that his brain was about as small as his body was large. "I spread my destructive glory on Metro City and I start with the observatory. You should have left it to dwindle to rust-covered glory. But since you insist on repairing it, I will make a deal. Whoever wins our next conflict will decide the fate of the structure and its workers." Suddenly, there was a loud banging sound, followed by an electronic yowl and the hologram went blank.

Megamind saw that there were several nails puncturing 56's under casing and that his tendrils appeared to have been slashed by a saw. "And that's when he got you." There was evident distaste in his tone. 56 whined painfully, though not at death's door, it was clear he was damaged and needed repairs. 147, now perfectly willing to give him comfort, nuzzled up to him affectionately. "There's a way that these things should be done. Don't harm the messenger, especially if he is one of _my_ brain bots." He turned to Minion and said, with all the drama that only Megamind could produce at a moment's notice. "Minion, we are not going to stand around and find out the extent of Destruction Worker's egregious plan. We have a new mission to complete. The citizens of Metrocity are in need, and we will answer the call!"

"Oh, sir, you sound so splendid when you say that."

"I know, I've bee practicing. Now, minion, prepare the invisible car and the necessary _ac-cutra-mince_,"

"Accoutrements, sir."

"Exactly, oh, and don't forget the proper soundtrack."

"Of course, sir."

Megamind turned to a hovering brain bot. "1, prepare the troops. Carriers, especially, we might need them before the day is out."

While Megamind was ordering the troops with his usual flare, (and looking quite dashing while he was at it), Roxanne's cell phone suddenly rang. "Yeah, Kaitlin, what is it?"

"Are you with Megamind, by any chance?" asked Kaitlin Fellerman, Roxanne's new camera-woman.

"Yeah, I am. What's up?"

"I'm coming to pick you up." She said, "We've been called up to go to the Hitchcock Observatory. Destruction Worker's hit there, and apparently he's holding all of the workers hostage. He's threatening to destroy it with the workers inside if Megamind doesn't show up soon."

"Right, you can pick me up here. Megamind and Minion are on the case. You can depend on them."

"I'm sure that I can." Said Kaitlin, before she hung up.

"Megamind," said Roxanne, coming over to him, "I just got a call from the TV station. Destruction Worker is waiting for you. He's trying to destroy the observatory and everyone in it."

"Of course, he is." said Megamind, "It's a classic gamble, with the highest stakes to be won. But, don't worry, Roxanne. I intend to win. I maintained a zero death record when I was the villain, I fully intend to keep that factor as a hero." He started for the invisible car, but Roxanne stopped him.

"Wait, I think you're forgetting something."

Megamind seemed confused. "What, what am I forgetting?"

Roxanne stepped forward and gave Megamind a kiss. "That," she said, "You forgot that."

Megamind's eyes had gotten a somewhat glassy look and there was a silly smile on his face. "You're right. I did forget that."

Roxanne smirked. "Well, go get 'em, hero. The villain is waiting."

Megamind blinked, shook his head, and then put on his normally confidant, hero in action persona. "Ah yes, of course, onward to victory."

Roxanne's smile widened as she watched Megamind race towards the invisible car. Yes, life was certainly not boring for her, even if it was not exactly working out the way that she had planned. And she wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

Please, read and review. Also, Destruction Worker is not my idea. I actually got it from the book, _The Art of Megamind_. An original idea for Megamind would be that there were multiple villains over the course of the story for Metro Man to fight. Needless to say, I think that we are all glad they didn't do that so that they could focus on the heart of the story. Still, it proves to be a gold mine for us fan fic writers. I have taken a few ideas from there myself which will play a big part in the upcoming story. Watch for them.

Next chapter: Megamind has an epic showdown with Destruction Worker. He wins, of course, but that's not the important part. The important part is that Megamind is about to meet someone who, though he doesn't know it yet and neither will she for awhile, who will change his future forever.


	9. Hero's Victory

I know, it has been a bit logn between updates. I was taken prisoner by the enemy of all writers, writer's block. I wonder if Megamind could come up with a solution for that. Anyway, here is a double helping of Megamind goodness to make up for it. Enjoy my first written battle with Megamind as the hero and the long-awaited meeting between Megamind and Kaitoia.

Hero's Victory:

The Hitchcock Observatory had once been one of Metro City's crowning achievements. A glistening white structure that almost resembled a Greek temple, it had been visible from nearly every place in Metro City. However, the beautiful exterior had hidden the fact that the Observatory itself had not been built to move with the times. As the years had passed, and the technology of space and astronomy had become more advanced, the Observatory had gradually begun to grow more and more obsolete, until it had finally closed its doors to the public.

There had never been any question of tearing down the building itself, for it was still something of a treasure to the citizens of Metro City, even if it was a symbol of faded glory. So, once all the equipment and such had either been removed or auctioned off, the Hitchcock had been left in its original place on a bluff over Metro City. It still provided a lot of photo opportunities, and had a lot of history behind it.

However, it might have gradually disintegrated into dust, had it not been for the intervention of Metro City's new hero. Megamind's hideout was situated across from the observatory and he had always admired it. He did have an interest in astronomy, though it was more of a hobby. Besides, since he had been responsible for destroying what had always been considered a city treasure, he felt it only right that he try to make it right.

Megamind had drawn up plans for the new Hitchcock Observatory, to make it a new, cutting edge facility that would still retain the beauty and elegance of the original structure. Thanks to both the efforts of human builders, and the brain bots, Megamind's robotic servants, construction was actually well ahead of schedule.

At least until Destruction Worker showed up. Destruction Worker used to be a man named Desmond Winsock, who had once been a normal, everyday construction worker. However, he had eventually realized that he had more a talent for destroying things then he did for creating them. He now had something of a reputation, liking to show up in random cities that were undergoing major reconstruction projects and undoing everything that was being done. He had built several high tech weapons that looked like regular tools, his greatest invention being huge gloves that covered his hands. The huge axes, hammers and saws could deliver widespread destruction, with many lives either lost or injured.

How he had been able to build these weapons or how he actually planned his rampages was a mystery. Destruction Worker had been hit on the head one too many times with a jackhammer according to Megamind, because he was completely stupid, and was an utter failure at witty banter.

However, Megamind didn't worry about that so much that day. Destruction Worker had been causing widespread property damage in Metro City during his stay, but this was the first time that he had directly threatened human life. This time, it wasn't a game for him. As he told Roxanne, he had no intention of letting anyone die on his watch as hero of Metro City.

By the time that Megamind and Minion had arrived at the Observatory in the invisible car, they found that the police and the fire department had already gotten there.

Megamind had been an excellent villain, or so he had always thought and said. However, becoming a hero had shown him that in some things he had been lenient. For one thing, none of his exploits had caused a single death in Metro City; something that he had always said was due to the fact that he didn't want to lose any number of people who were to become his subjects and victims.

He became attuned to the fact early on in his heroic escapades that other villains were not averse to harming and even killing innocent people to achieve their own ends. Luckily, they had all been so singularly pathetic that he had prevented any tragedies. But he couldn't afford to grow slack. When it came to the issue of human life, Megamind was very serious. Up until, Destruction Worker had only been a threat to property; now he had upped the stakes and Megamind fully intended to win.

When he and Minion had arrived in the invisible car, he found that the police crews were already there." We've managed to secure the perimeter." The Captain told him, "We had to take down a few of Destruction Worker's lackeys, but he barricaded himself in the Observatory. Says he'll take down anyone who comes in. He's got some sort of device which had been shooting giant nails at our squad cars. Two of my men have already received minor injuries."

"What of the hostages?"

"We've got ten out when we took down his men, but there are at least fifteen more under his grip. From his boasts, we think some of them might be injured."

"Boasts are nothing but hot air, Captain, which can't hurt. Nonetheless, we have to be cautious. I have a plan, cover me and be ready to move when I call."

"Right, Megamind, we're right behind you."

In studying Destruction Worker's tactics, Megamind had seen that he was large and powerful, and he had an arsenal of weapon-like tools which allowed him to smash anything in his path to smithereens. But, he also lacked three very essential qualities: speed, maneuverability, and foresight. Destruction Worker was slow and clumsy, and he also wasn't very smart. He expected his enemy to react in the conventional way. He would be expecting a frontal assault. But Megamind, or course, wasn't that stupid. He would be coming at Destruction Worker's from below and from behind.

There was an underground tunnel located under the Hitchcock. It was a naturally occurring phenomenon. It was now being converted into storage and electrical space. Megamind had given it a passing glance when he had reviewed the Observatory's specs, not he remembered it anew, and a plan had formed in his mind. Spur of the moment it may have been, but Megamind was fairly certain that it would work.

When he and Minion arrived at the door to the underground passage which led directly into the basement of the Observatory. As Megamind and Minion made their way carefully into the basement and up into the main rooms of the still unfinished observatory. Megamind had figured that since Destruction Worker had a previous history with construction, he would most likely gone to the place in the building which would be the strongest, and without windows, somewhere that he was sure he couldn't be seen. The planetarium was the most logical place for that.

Once they were outside the main lobby for the planetarium, Megamind pushed a small magnetic module against the wall of the room. It was a device which allowed him to literally see and hear through walls though the range of the device was limited and its power only lasted for five minutes once activated. Minion did the same thing on a section of the wall about twenty feet away.

"I have the prisoners, sir." Said Minion, "Destruction Worker seems to have tied all of them to the chairs at the back of the theater. They seem to be all right, but we can' tell until we get in there."

"Destruction Worker is near the front." Said Megamind, "He seems to be regaling the captives with his plans for what he will do once he takes over Metro City. That has got to be the worst form of torture he could impose on them. Imagine having to listen to that Neanderthal for any longer then five minutes. Minion, we've got to get in there before any of the captives undergo severe brain damage and are little better then zombies."

"Just like we rehearsed?"

"Just like but always leaving room for improvement. Now, Minion, Code: Onward to Victory."

"Code: Right Behind You."

* * *

Inside the planetarium, Destruction Worker was indeed regaling his audience with stories of how he would reduce Metro City to its rightful place of demolition. He thought of himself as a great orator, unfortunately, his halting phrases, frequent pauses as he searched for the right word (which turned out to be a fairly simple one), and his general all-around monotone was not exactly sending fire and brimstone through his audience. Indeed, most of them were falling asleep.

"I, Destruction Worker, will now tell of my great plans for Downtown. The tall buildings will be gutted and reduced to great… skeletons of steel beams." Here he paused, again searching or his next words, though heaven knows why. He had repeated the same speech at least five times over the past thirty minutes with hardly any variation. "The beams and the streets will become covered with rust; they will be as bright and beautiful as a flower, the flower…" Here, his eyes blanked out yet again, as he tried to remember the flower which was red. "Was it a daffodil? Daisy? Or, ah yes, rose. The city will be a great rose of rust, and then…"

At this point one of the captives, a young woman with red hair and sky blue eyes said, "Could we please skip to the end?"

As she was one of the few of the "audience" still awake, Destruction Worker was almost startled by her voice. "What?"

"The end, could we just skip to that and then be done for the day."

Destruction Worker was still befuddled as to what she was talking about. "End? This isn't the end, it's the beginning. A glorious beginning where-"

The woman rolled her eyes, "Yes, where everything will become made in your image, the image of destruction. Everyone will see just what a great artist you are and what more value there is in rotten wood, and cracked foundations, and rust."

Destruction Worker stared at her. "How did you know I was going to say all those things?"

"Because I'm an alien and I can read minds."

For half a second, Destruction Worker almost seemed to believe her, but then he shook himself, reared up to his full height and said, in what he thought was a menacing voice. "You shall not distract me. I shall show you, when Megamind is destroyed, the true nature of buildings."

"Which is rust, yes, we all know that. What is your obsession with rust? Can't you just let it go already?"

That did it for Destruction Worker. He raised one of his arms, the one that was loaded with his specially designed nail gun and said, and "I will shut your mouth. You shall be punished for speaking ill of the beauty of rust."

Suddenly, the surround sound speaker in the planetarium, which had just been installed that morning and were in perfect condition, began to blare with loud music. Destruction Worker was caught totally off guard and half deaf by the sound. Those of the captives who had been asleep came awake with a jolt.

Before Destruction Worker could rouse himself, there were two great blue explosions which blew out both sides of the theater. They were the kind of explosions which just might have come from a very familiar weapon that had become something of a trade mark for the hero of Metro City. The captives, even if they were in a somewhat uncomfortable position, let loose a ragged cheer. Now everything would be all right. Destruction Worker, of course, was not too happy about this. "Be quiet, or I shall ground you all up in a giant cement mixer."

At this the music, abruptly lowered in volume, allowing the voice of Megamind to come through the speakers. "If you speak of grinding Destruction Worker, the one you should be speaking of is yourself. You have only one ax to grind and that's with me."

Destruction worker looked from one smoking hole in the wall to the other. He knew that Megamind must be behind one of those walls of smoke, but there was so much of it, he couldn't see properly. "You cannot win, Megamind. I _will_ win and I will bring Metro City to glorious ruin."

Megamind's voice came again, this time, distinctly from the left. "You do realize that glorious ruin is an oxymoron. Some villains can make them work; unfortunately, all you have is the run. Glorious isn't even in your genome."

Destruction Worker hadn't understood half of what Megamind had said. He spent a full minute trying to come up with a meaning for oxymoron or genome, but eventually gave up. "We will see who has the last word when I destroy you first." He turned and fired off too the left, sending giant nails in the direction of the voice.

Unfortunately, Destruction Worker, as had already been stated, lacked foresight. He thought that just because the voice had come from the left, that was indisputably where Megamind was and he wouldn't be moving from that spot. And he was so busy using all of his ammo (repeat: all) that he didn't notice the impressive and menacing shadow which appeared on the right.

Destruction Worker, once he had used all of his ammunition against his enemy, he felt fairly confidant enough to say, "Now, who is the one laughing, Megamind?"

He was completely surprised when Megamind's voice came from directly behind him, "It is certainly not you. Of course, I cannot blame you; you don't have that much to laugh about right now." Destruction Worker turned around very slowly, only to see that Megamind was in front of him, and had his dehydration gun aimed directly at him. "I suppose you know that you have slowed down the construction of this premises. But, that can easily be remedied. However, you have just gone into foreclosure."

Megamind squeezed the trigger on his dehydration gun and a shaft of blue energy arced towards Destruction Worker. He only had time for a frightened squeak, before he was transformed into a bright, blue cube.

And so it was that Megamind once more triumphed over the forced of evil. The Hero of Metro City had won once again.


	10. Meeting of Ways

Meeting of Ways

When Roxanne pulled up in front of the Observatory with her camerawoman Kaitlin, she saw the perimeter of police officers waiting for any news of Megamind and Minion. "This looks serious," said Kaitlin, "I don't remember seeing this much security during Megamind's other battles."

"Only because this is the first time that Destruction Worker has deliberately threatened human life. This is what usually what makes or breaks a villain in the eyes of Megamind."

"So, you're not worried that he won't win?" asked Kaitlin.

"No, of course not. Now that he is the hero, I think that Megamind is going to prevail this time."

Roxanne could understand if Kaitlin was a little nervous. The two of them had only been working together for a few weeks. Kaitlin had never seen anything like the battles of Megamind, and Roxanne could understand why it would take some getting used to. Still, the two of them were very well matched. Roxanne liked her a lot, and was going to try reassuring her whenever she could.

The two of them got out and finding a place which had a good view of the Observatory, but was a safe distance away. Roxanne then turned to the camera, microphone in hand and began her report. "This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting from the Hitchcock Observatory. As has already been reported by city officials, Destruction Worker is believed to have taken refuge inside the Observatory. There have been reports that he has numerous hostages, and is demanding that control of the city be given up to him. Megamind, we are told, has already gone in to try and bring this villain to the justice he deserves."

As Roxanne continued with her report, there could be no disguising the tension in the air around them. There had been no word from Megamind or Minion for at least twenty minutes, and no sound at all from the warehouse. Even the brain bots were getting a little restive, obviously wanting a little part of the action.

Suddenly, the tension was broken by a series of explosions coming from the direction of the warehouse. Blue tinged smoke began to rise from the building, and the Captain ordered his men to be ready to fire.

"There were just two explosions which issued from the Observatory's east side." said Roxanne, indicating that Kaitlin should pan around to get a close up of the scene. "This is the first sign there has been of any sort of conflict coming from the Observatory. Does this mean that Megamind has triumphed once again?"

It was something of a rhetorical question, for Roxanne, at least. She already pretty sure how the fight had ended. It was strange, even when the roles had been somewhat reversed, how similar the story was. However, for some reason, it was so much more exciting following Megamind's battles than it had been with Metro Man. Perhaps it was because Megamind didn't have any superpowers beyond his own intellect; his heroism came from within. That meant a lot to Roxanne, especially when it came to men. Then again, part of it might also have been the fact that she was in love with Megamind, so she could have been biased.

At any rate, Roxanne's prediction would serve to be right, once again. No less than five minutes after the explosions had happened; the brain bots fell into formation and flew off for the Observatory. That could only mean one thing: Megamind had once again prevailed.

Fifteen minutes later, the crisis had been averted. All of the captives had been set free, and the only injuries sustained had been a few cuts and bruises, and a few broken limbs. Destruction Worker, now properly hydrated, was carted off to prison. He didn't look half so threatening when he was stripped of all of his weapons. Megamind waved after him with some comment about how he could spend his time contemplating the rust of prison bars once he got to jail.

Roxanne came up to him, and said, "Megamind, can we have a statement?"

Again a rather unnecessary question. Once the battle was won, Megamind loved the spotlight. "Of course, Miss Ritchi. What would you like to ask me?"

"I'm sure that our viewers would like to know how you defeated Destruction Worker. He has been such a menace for the past few weeks. The damage that he did to property has been extensive; he has come close to destroying one of our city's most beloved treasures. It seemed like nothing would be able to stop him."

"Well, I shall not deny that Desmond Winsock has a great deal of size and brawn to his name. However, he was no match for my superior intellect. I defeated him by using his slow mind against him." He then gave a rundown of how he had gotten the better of Destruction Worker. "So, you see, it was a fairly easy process. In the hero business, it is always important to know how your enemy works."

"And you are certainly the best at that." said Roxanne, with a smile, "I'm sure this will be the last time we have to worry about Destruction Worker."

"Hopefully, yes. Still, it always pays to be cautious. I would like to remind everyone watching to always report anything suspicious to police. They are very good at their jobs, almost as good as I am. I should know; many of them have been my old friends for quite a few years. But, you should never try to confront a villain on your own, unless you know what you're doing. That goes for you, especially, kids. Remember, I am a trained professional, and I worked a long time to get where I am today. If you want to follow in my footsteps, do what I did: study hard, always do your best and eat _all_ of your vegetables."

"Thank you for that, Megamind. I am sure that you are an inspiration for all the children of Metro City." She turned back to the camera and said, "Well, there you have it, citizens. Metro City will sleep better tonight now that we know that a villain is behind bars and our hero is looking out for us. This is Roxanne Ritchi reporting."

She motioned for Kaitlin to cut and told her to get the footage ready for transmission on that evening's news.

When the camera had stopped rolling, Roxanne was able to let up on the formality that she insisted they keep in their interviews. She kissed Megamind on the cheek and said, "You were wonderful."

Megamind grinned; this was the best part of the job. "Of course I was wonderful. I am Megamind, after all, Incredibly Handsome Heroic Genius and Master of all Good." Megamind had not felt a need to change his original catch phrase (why mess with poetic genius, was his reasoning), merely to alter it a little.

At this point in the day, Roxanne didn't really want to argue with him. She merely regarded him with a raised eyebrow and a quirked smile.

It was at this point, that they were joined by a new face, the woman which Megamind had seen holding Roxanne's camera during the interview. "Roxanne, I have all the equipment loaded into the truck, but if you don't mind I would like to stay awhile to make sure that Melissa is all right."

"Of course, Kaitlin." Roxanne turned to Megamind, "Megamind, this is my new camera woman, Kaitlin Fellerman. I've wanted you two to meet for awhile."

_Good,_though Megamind, _She's a woman. The person that Roxanne will have to work with every day won't be a worthless cad who will make her feel unsafe._

No sooner had the thought entered his mind than he thought that he saw something flash in the woman's eyes, almost like amusement. It struck Megamind as being slightly odd, but since it vanished the next second, he wasn't sure if it had been there. He shook it off and held out his hand to the woman, "It's a pleasure to meet you."

There was a slight hesitation on the part of Kaitlin, as she looked at the hand in front of her, before she took it. It struck Megamind as a little odd. He briefly wondered how Kaitlin could be unfamiliar with one of the most basic of human gestures. "The pleasure is all mine, Megamind. I have heard quite a lot about you."

"I can't say that I'm surprised. My reputation has this habit of following me wherever I go. It's an occupational hazard."

"I told you he was like this." Said Roxanne, to Kaitlin with a smile, "I should warn you that he can get even worse than this. I sometimes have to cut him off in mid speech because our cameras are in danger of running out of tape."

"And don't think I haven't noticed that. No matter, I can remember all of my heroic speeches, even those which have been so rudely interrupted. I do record them for posterity. I am thinking of publishing them to share them with the rest of the world."

Roxanne rolled her eyes, and didn't deign to comment on that. Kaitlin also smiled in slight amusement. Megamind had not gotten a chance to study Kaitlin all that closely. After all, when Roxanne was interviewing her, he only really had eyes for her. But now that he was looking at her, he couldn't help but feel that there was something faintly familiar about Kaitlin, though he was certain that he had never met her before in his life. He would have remembered a blond with the violet eyes, at least he hope he would have. But there was something else besides just looks that was speaking to him. When he looked at Kaitlin, he almost felt as though he were being presented with a memory he had long forgotten, which even now was calling to him, but was still far out of his reach.

Since he didn't understand this faint echo of remembrance, he put it out of his mind for the time being. "How long have you been working with Roxanne?" said Megamind.

"About four weeks." Said Kaitlin, "I'm new to Metro City. I just moved out here from the East Coast. I'm rooming with my cousin. And speaking of which, I actually owe you thanks, Megamind."

"Oh, really?" said Megamind, who was always eager to learn in what ways he had made a difference in the lives of the citizens of Metro City, "How have how my services made your life better?"

"It's not so much my life, it's the life that you saved. My cousin, Melissa Thornton, was among the captives which you helped to rescue today."

"Melissa Thornton?" said Roxanne, who recognized the name from researching the story of the Hitchcock Observatory over the last few weeks. "Your cousin is the curator of the Hitchcock Observatory?"

"Yes, she was hired about the same time that I started working with you."

"If that's the case, allow me to compliment you on having such an exceptionally brilliant relation." Said Megamind, "I had a hand in hiring the new curator, and she had an impressive resume. I would like to meet her myself."

Looking back on that day, Megamind could have sworn that there was a definite working of fate at work, because no sooner had he made this statement, then a voice was heard from the direction of where the medical personnel had been looking at the former captives to make sure that they had suffered no permanent injuries. "Kaitlin."

Megamind, Roxanne, and Kaitlin all turned to see that a woman with long red hair and eyes that were the color of the sky was running towards them. It was a little odd, for she looked as though she had just encountered the three of them on a morning run, as though it were the most natural thing for her to do so. She was hardly acting like she had just come out of a potentially life-threatening situation.

She ran up to them and skidded to stop. Her eyes were wild with excitement. "Kaitlin, there you are. Well, this was certainly an adventure today. I come into to inspect my future work place, and I end up being taken captive. Very exciting. Oh, and I was given a ride by a brain bot. That was certainly the highlight. I was surprised, I never thought that Megamind would have programmed his robots with such manners."

"Madame, all of my brain bots are programmed to the highest standards." Said Megamind, who the first to get over the surprise of Melissa's entrance.

Melissa turned her attention to Megamind. "So, you're Megamind."

"Why, yes, I am."

"Great, I've wanted to meet you for awhile. I suppose that I have you to think for getting me this job."

"I didn't give you the job, Miss Thornton. You're merits earned it for you."

"Oh, please, Melissa. I don't like formality." She turned to Roxanne rather abruptly, "You must be Roxanne Ritchi?"

"Uh, yes." Said Roxanne, who was somewhat taken aback.

"Kaitlin has told me so much about you, has nothing but the highest opinion of you. I have to tell you, I love your hair. Don't ever change whatever it is you do."

Roxanne stared at her, having no idea how she was supposed to respond. It was probably for the best that Roxanne and Megamind were a bit taken aback by Melissa, for they missed the slightly worried look which flashed across Kaitlin's face, and the more that Melissa talked, the more nervous that she became. Melissa's last comment seemed to rouse her, and she quickly grabbed her by the hand and said, in a rather hurried fashion. "Melissa, we really need to be going. You've just been through a traumatic experience. You must be tired."

Melissa grinned at Kaitlin. "I'm not tired at all, Kaitlin. I feel like I could run a hundred miles."

"Well, you're not." Said Kaitlin, "I'm sure once the adrenaline wears off, you'll be feeling drained."

"Are you sure that you're all right?" asked Roxanne, "I mean, did the physicians get a good look at you?"

Megamind noticed that another look flashed in Kaitlin's eyes, only this time, the emotion of one of near panic. However, before he could ask her what was wrong with a routine examination following a kidnapping, Melissa said, "Oh, they checked me over. I'm perfectly fine. But, on the other hand, I should probably be going before _Kaitlin_ has a panic attack. She's something of a worrier."

"Oh, thank you for that." said Kaitlin.

"Anytime, Cuzz." She looked back at Megamind and Roxanne, "It was wonderful to meet you. I hope that it won't be the last time."

"Yes, lovely to make your acquaintance. Bye, Roxanne, see you tomorrow. Come on, Melissa, let's go."

Megamind and Roxanne watched the two of them leaving, still bickering in low voices. "Hard to believe that those two are roommates." Said Roxanne.

"They seem nothing alike." Said Megamind, "How do they avoid conflicts?"

"According to Kaitlin, they've been doing it for awhile. She said they'll also have to get used to whatever foibles the other has, because they can't afford a place on their own."

Megamind nodded noncommittally. His mind was still absorbed in what he had just witnessed, or more specifically, Kaitlin. There was something about her, something that was undeniably familiar. He couldn't describe it, because he had never experienced anything like it.

In truth, Megamind had seen that face somewhere before: in his dreams. But he hadn't had that dream since the night in the jail. He had dismissed the event as just the random workings of his sleeping mind. But, did he not remember it because he had only had the dream once and so long ago, or merely because even the remembrance of that dream, and the strong feelings it had aroused were things that not even the defender of Metro City wanted to think that he would ever have to face in real life? it was not a question which Megamind, for all of his great intellectual capacity would not have wanted to try and answer.

Like it or not, though, Megamind would soon be faced with the question. Little could he have known that the day he defeated Destruction Worker, would turn out to be a meeting of ways, when his past, present, and future and those of many close to him would merge, and change the destiny of all forever.

* * *

You didn't actually think I would reveal the truth to Megamind so soon, did you? No way, there is still a long way to go before that. However, I hope that you liked this first meeting between them. There is a lot more coming, so be sure and come along for the ride. In the meantime, please drop a review.

Next chapter: How di two aliens adjust to life on Earth? Well, Kaitoia and Melisande are about to show us how. But, things are turning to be not so straight forward as either of them thought. Not only are they trying to learn from the humans without exposing themselves, matters of the heart will soon be interfering.


	11. Adjustment

You ever notice in practically every movie about aliens (except for Stat Wars), the aliens are either trying to invade Earth for no reason at all, or they regard humans as being little better than uncouth creatures? Well, this story is not going to take that angle. As will be seen, the greatest threat will come not from any alien visitors from another world, but from within the human race itself.

Adjustment:

The sun was just setting over the western horizon, when Kaitoia and Melisande, most recently known as Kaitlin and Melissa, along with the disguised Seren, finally made it back to their apartment building in downtown Metro City. It had been a busy day for both of them, and yet, their reactions to it could not have been more different, especially Melisande.

"Well, I don't know about you," she said as the two of them came into the apartment, "but this has been a most thrilling day."

Kaitoia looked at her friend with a raised eyebrow as she put the take-out they had ordered for their dinner on the kitchen table. "You were kidnapped by a human with possibly violent intentions, listened to him drone on for two hours and then flown out by Megamind's brain bots. Most people would be totally exhausted by the events of such a day."

"Most humans, I suppose. For me, I found it to be quite exhilarating. And I'll have something interesting to put in my report to the ship, this evening. So will you. We've finally got to meet Megamind; no doubt we both will have entirely different thoughts on the subject, so it will make for most interesting reading for the Assembly and the Council back home."

"I've thought that all of out reports back home were interesting, and not to say amusing at times. I'm almost surprised that some of the humans haven't caught on by now that we're not from their planet. I don't know sometimes how we've been able to get in so easily."

"Oh, easy for you to say, Miss I picked up the language in two weeks."

"I can't help it, being an instinctual telepath." Shot back Kaitoia, as she deactivated her human disguise, by pressing the violet jewel in the necklace she was wearing. The jewel functioned as the holo-disguise's power source, a cover that no one would think to question. "It's my strongest ability, and try as I might I always pick up the stray thoughts of everyone around me. The translator we were given naturally can't pick up thoughts, and so I had to be quick about the language if I actually was to know what they were talking about."

Seren had deactivated her invisibility collar, and was now lying curled up on one of the kitchen chairs. "Besides, Melisande, my mistress had been far from perfect. Even she has trouble with the pronunciation sometimes."

"Only because the humans have the oddest way of pronouncing things. I'm still trying to remember which words they do pronounce and which ones they leave silently."

Melisande, Kaitoia, and Seren were actually rather pleased with the way things were going. Ever since landing on Earth six weeks before they had been slowly adjusting to life in Metro City. It turned out that human culture was even stranger and more fascinating in person than any amount of transmissions would have been able to convey. For one thing, there was the humans' obsession with such things as clothing cars and other materiel things which they judged people by. It had been easy enough fro them to acquire such things as the recreations of money and the little plastic squares they called credit cards had been easy enough to recreate. Even so, figuring out such things as size and color by human standards as opposed to what they were used to had been something of a trial for them to figure out, especially for Melisande, who didn't really enjoy shopping of any kind.

Than there were the rituals which they were encountering on a daily basis and weren't really sure how to react to. Shaking hands, a common form of greeting on Earth was totally unknown to the Tandarens or the Nyra. There were sometimes striking inadequacies in conversation, which Kaitoia had found quite disturbing. Entire conversations among the majority of the youth consisted of only a few words, and seemingly fewer syllables, like dude, cool, sweet, that sucks and other such phrases. How they would be able to function as adults she wasn't quite sure. Even more was how the beauty of great literature seemed to be avoided by many humans, in favor of books or magazines that she couldn't see had any long-term value. Tandarens valued elegance and accomplishment in conversation. Though there were many instances which gave Kaitoia hope that conversation wasn't a lost art among the humans, she sometimes found it hard to adjust her speech to that of the casualness of human society.

Melisande herself had been appalled by the treatment which women had received throughout Earth's history. She had known that earth was by no means a materiel society, but she hadn't expected to find that they had been vilified, silenced and marginalized in nearly every period of earth's historical and literature past. No matter where or what she read, women seemed to be responsible for everything was remotely bad in the world, and were weak lustful and vain creatures. The idea had only seemed to let up in the last hundred years, but there were still gross examples of inequality between the sexes which Melisande was having difficulty accepting. She did admit that she maybe understood why Nairian males had pushed so hard for their own rights. In that respect, she found a study of the similarities to be very interesting.

Aside from these, there were other things which they had had to adjust to, the normal day to day routine which every human on earth does, but never thinks about, was novel for them and took some getting used to.

However, for all that their cultures were so different, neither of the alien visitors could ignore that they and the humans were so very different in the important matters. Humans had the same emotions, the same family structure and ties, so many the same desires to simply live in their own unique way. They as a species were far from perfect, of course. But, if there was anything that the Tandarens and Nairians had learned from the failure of the Great Experiment, it was that no species could ever attain perfection. But when mistakes could be learned from, that was the mark of wisdom's beginning. The humans seemed to have that ability, and it was this that all three of them were seeing every day in their observation of human culture.

"So, what do we have tonight?" asked Melisande, in reference to the takeout.

"We're trying something called Chinese tonight." Said Kaitoia, as she took out the white boxes and placed them on the table. "Since you live dangerously, I got the spiciest thing on the menu for you; it's something I can't pronounce. I got the moo gai goo paan for myself."

"Moo goo gai pan, Mistress." Said Seren.

"Right whatever. Also, something called egg rolls, crab cakes and fortune cookies. Apparently, the little pieces of paper in them tell you something of your future."

"How interesting. I wonder how accurate they are."

"From what I've been able to gather of these humans," said Kaitoia, "They don't have telepathic abilities, so I highly doubt they have a skill at vision casting. I wouldn't take what you read in them to seriously."

Seren slithered up onto the table, her tongue flickering out to taste the food particles in the air. "What are these for?" She nudged the two sticks which were enclosed in paper.

"Chopsticks." Said Kaitoia, "You use them to eat the food, though. I'm not really sure how."

"What if you don't have hands to use them?" asked Seren.

"That you do what you normally do, Seren." Said Melisande, "Slurp it up."

"I do not slurp, Melisande." Said Seren, with a regal air, "I simply swallow very large portions."

"What are you watching tonight?" asked Kaitoia, as they began to eat.

"I managed to get the next three Star Wars movies." Said Melisande, excitedly, "I can't wait to see how the story turns out."

"You must have some idea, surely." Said Kaitoia.

"Of course, the movies themselves are a classic story arc. But that can't replace the actual experience. What are you, are you going to be listening to the music of some great concerto by Mozart while looking at the Impressionism of France in the late 1800's?"

"Actually, it's going to be the sculpture of Medieval Italy while listening to Rhapsody in Blue by George Gershwin I think his name is."

"I wish that I could multi-task like you." said Melisande, "You and Seren seem to get all of your work done faster than me. Of course, I suspect that being able to telepathically talk to each other must cut the time in half?"

"We all have out ways of collecting and processing information." Said Kaitoia, "You're better at absorbing every possible source of data on a few things quickly, while I do better with multiple things. But it takes me a few days before I can make the information spinning around in my head make sense to anyone else but me. You can complete your reports the first time without having to worry about that."

"And some of us," said Seren, "turn out to have an unexpected gift for espionage."

"Ah, now that's what I like to hear." Said Melisande, "What did your undercover activities reveal today?"

While Melisande and Kaitoia were off doing their normal day jobs (which to them were still anything but normal), Seren took advantage o her invisible status to creep into places that would otherwise have been of limits to them. Places such as City Hall, the hospitals and the colleges around Metro City. These little errands provided valuable information as to how an Earth city operated behind the scenes. While Seren may not have been particularly fond of her collar, it was conveniently provided with auditory recorders and computer sensors. Technically, there wouldn't have been a secret in Metro City that would have been safe from her. However, Seren's activities were purely for the sake of research.

"I happened to have a little time on the way back from lectures on civil engineering at the college," said Seren, "So, I stopped by the Megamind Museum. I think I might have solved at least one part of the mystery as to how Megamind and Metro Man ended up on this planet. They were among the escape pods that were launched from the planet's surface when Tandara and Nyra were pulled into the gravitational filed."

"There were dozens of those escape pods launched." Said Melisande, "Mother told me that many of them were never found, either destroyed by the black hole or their engines fired before they could be picked up and they weren't tracked down until much later.'

"There were many of those pods on both planets." Said Kaitoia, "They were designed to serve as an efficient evacuation device in the face of natural disasters. Their computers were programmed to lock onto the nearest habitable planet and fire their engines. For the most part, that would have been either Tandara or Nyra. But in the wake of the black hole, dozens of the pods malfunctioned because their systems were in disarray."

"There might also be a chance that the parents had the chance to program their sensors ahead of time," said Seren, "to lock onto a planet far distant from the disaster. The parents of both children no doubt hoped that they would have a better chance of survival that way."

"Did you happen to find out what happened after they landed?" asked Melisande.

"Crashed would be the better operative word." Said Seren, "It looked like Metro Man ended up in the home of a wealthy couple, Lord and Lady Scott. They adopted him as their own and named him Wayne. As for Megamind, he ended up in The Prison for the Criminally Gifted."

Both Kaitoia and Melisande stared at her in disbelief. "Don't look at me like that, its true." said Seren.

"Well, that at least explains a little of why one became the hero and the other the villain." Said Melisande, "Though there must be more to it than that."

"I'm guessing that the more personal side of the story is not something that Megamind wants the general public to know." said Kaitoia.

The conversation was suddenly cut short by the ringing of a phone. "Is that yours or mine?" asked Kaitoia.

"Mine, I think." Said Melisande, "I understand there's some sort of tradition against answering a call during a meal."

Kaitoia waved her hand in dismissal. "Go ahead, it's not like we have anything special happening."

Melisande answered her phone. "Melissa Thornton speaking." Her face suddenly showed surprise, actually very pleasant surprise. "Bernard, oh hi."

Kaitoia's eyebrows rose when she heard the name and the slight change of tone that it brought. _"Bernard?"_ she asked Seren, telepathically.

"_The curator of the Megamind Museum."_ Said Seren, _"He's an expert on him, and Metro Man."_

"_So, why is he calling Melisande?"_

"_Melisande is working in the Museum until the Observatory opens. She must have met Bernard."_

Melisande, unaware of the exchange, continued her conversation. "Yes, you heard the news right. Destruction Worker did take some of the workers hostage. Well, yes, I was a hostage, as well. Bernard, no, don't worry. I'm perfectly all right. The guy wasn't all that threatening. The only real danger would be going into a coma listening to talk on and on about nothing. Yes, I'll still be at work tomorrow. I can't skip the planning meeting with you about the Observatory. Still at 9:00, right? Great, see you then. Thanks for your concern, Bernard, and thanks for calling." She hung up. She seemed to have been so involved in the conversation that she had completely forgotten about her audience, but then she saw that both Kaitoia and Seren were looking at her with odd expressions. "What?" she asked, almost defensively.

"You seemed very pleased to be hearing from this Bernard fellow." Observed Kaitoia, "Do you like him?"

"Well, I have to admit, he is the first male on this planet that has struck me as being halfway decent."

"Coming from you, Melis, that is high praise indeed."

"Why? What does it matter whether I like him or not?"

"Nothing. I just want you to be careful, that's all. Melis, we can't risk getting to close to the humans this early. There's still so little we know about them."

"Kaitoia, I'm not going to do anything to put this mission in danger, you know that. But we can't just stay in the apartment all the time we're not actually working. Don't you think we can learn even more about the humans by interacting with them on more than a business basis?"

"You're probably right, Melisande. But, at the same time, I do think your enthusiasm could dampen a little. I don't intentionally try to read your thoughts all the time, but you're emotions are sometimes a little overpowering. I can't avoid them no matter how hard I try. This afternoon, I thought you were close to say too much."

"I'm sorry I get carried away. But, I managed to slip away before the doctors examined me. Can you imagine what they would have thought if they had found traces of DNA in my bloodstream that resembled an avian species they couldn't identify?"

"It's not funny, Melisande."

"Well, mistress, it might be, depending on how you look at it." said Seren, "Either way, it hardly seems like something to worry about. Now, if Melisande can keep herself under control and you try to go out for an occasional drink, we can all be happy."

Melisande grinned. "Where would we be without the benefit of your Minion's wisdom?"

"I've often asked myself the same thing." Said Kaitoia, "You're right, Seren. This is a silly thing to argue about. I will try to take your advice, Melisande, if you will be careful about your excitement."

"It's a deal." Said Melisande, "Now, I don't know about you, but I have some sci-fi that needs watching. Enjoy your sculpture and Blue Rhapsody."

And so, three aliens on Earth continued their adjustment to a strange place, surrounded by an even stranger people. The more they learned though, the more intrigued they became. And the adventure had only just begun.

* * *

Yes, I am bringing Bernard into this story, and he will have a big role to play. Please read and review to let me know what you think.

Next chapter: I'll bet you didn't know that super villains had a union? Well, they do. And we are about to meet just much evil super villains are capable of. It turns out that Megamind is about to meet his match in more ways than one.


	12. The Syndicate

The Syndicate:

Evil has long been associated with the forces of chaos. No matter where evil strikes, inevitable confusion, anarchy and bedlam of all sorts ensues. It is only ever the heroes who have any sense of order, for it is they who restore society once the villains have had their fun. So goes the rumor. However, it would be rather difficult for evil to have any sort of staying power if those who specialized in it did not have some sort of organization which they could turn to for funding and legal aid to escape from jail through some obscure loop hole in the law. In other words, if you wanted to get anywhere in the world of evil, you needed to be part of a union.

There were actually quite a few unions around the world for super villains, all of them with fine, upstanding reputations in the underworld (of course, they still had to be somewhat secretive and not advertise their existence to the world. They couldn't run the risk of being shut down). However, the largest and well-organized of any of them was undoubtedly, The DOOM Syndicate.

Actually, the D.O.O.M. part of the name didn't really mean anything to the Syndicate's actually purpose. It was an acronym used in various countries so that the real activities which the Syndicate engaged in could be kept under wraps. But, in terms of super-villain organizations, this was the one which, if you had aspirations to be evil and you could be recognized by the Syndicate, meant that you had made it big.

At the head of the Syndicate, was Tabitha Davenport, better known to the super villain world as Typhoon. She had many gifts when it came to being evil, but the most well known was that she could control water. Numerous stories and rumors swirled around her and what she was capable of. Some of the stories said that she had once tried to melt the polar ice caps in an attempt to raise the world's water levels. Others stated that she had encased entire cities in ice, and didn't melt them until the heroes met her demands. She never stated which of these stories were true: Tabitha understood the value of good self-promotion. If there was anything which the public loved, it was a good story. However, there was one thing which all the stories, and everyone who had ever encountered Tabitha, agreed on: her heart was ice, plain and simple.

It wasn't really known how Tabitha first became a villain. That was one part of the story which could never quite be explained satisfactorily. It was the one thing which Tabitha never commented on or talked about. Still, for the most part, that didn't matter for the present. Tabitha was a villain through and through. She had all the requisite gifts which every real super villain ought to have: she was witty, refined, and had a taste for the finer things. She also had a good head for business. She needed it when she ran an organization like The Syndicate. There were the constant forms to fill out to provide financial backing for new weapons and research, as well as helping villains to break out of prison. Well, there had to be a way for villains to do all that, didn't there? If villains only had to rely upon themselves, then none of them would be getting very far.

When it came to induction into the Syndicate, Tabitha had very specific and stringent rules. There had to be records of extensive destruction and property damage in their raids through cities, there always had to be legitimate reason for the would-be super-villain to be evil and there always had to be at least one death during their rampages. Tabitha didn't necessarily believe in killing for its own sake, but she wanted those who worked for her to remember that sometimes it took distract measures to keep the balance between good and evil in the world. Those who didn't understand that weren't cut out to be villains, or heroes.

It was not always an easy task, keeping all of her employees in a straight line. Her latest problem came from none other then Destruction Worker's lawyer. One would think that since Destruction Worker was something of a giant, and could be intimidating just by walking into a room, he would have tried to match that in his selection of legal aid. Unfortunately, he seemed to have gone the opposite direction. His lawyer was a smallish, thin man who looked as though a strong poof of wind could blow him away. He had greasy hair and skin, a thin, nasally voice, and glasses that constantly kept sliding down his nose. He was also annoyingly persistent.

"As I have stated," he said, stating it for what seemed like the hundredth time that meeting, which had lasted over an hour, "if you do not give my client the financial means to escape from the prison of Metro City, you will be in direct violation of the contract which you made with him in undertaking to defeat Megamind, Metro City's hero."

Normally, Tabitha could be patient with all the legal mumbo jumbo. She had a law degree from Oxford herself, so it was no trouble hearing what she talking about. However, on this occasion, she was having very little tolerance with this. For one thing, the man himself was getting on her nerves, and for another, the actual subject of their conversation had sunk fairly low in her opinion. "The contract that I made with Destruction Worker also does not cover for mistakes."

The lawyer flustered. "Mistakes? What mistakes? My client made no mistakes. He engaged Megamind in numerous battles, he performed flawlessly."

"From what I have seen, Destruction Worker walked blindly into a trap which had been laid for him. His performance throughout the rest of the campaign was lackluster and had no sense of finesse. Being a super villain requires artistry. Destruction Worker has plenty of raw materials to work with, but he cannot craft them into anything."

"Madame, his name is Destruction Worker. Destruction is what he does; he cannot go around worrying about the little details. His reputation would be ruined."

Tabitha eyed him with her ice-cold blue eyes, and said, with evident contempt. "He is called Destruction Worker, that doesn't mean he should apply it to everything in his life. There is nothing more to discuss, sir. I will not be assisting Destruction Worker to escape from prison. Perhaps some time in prison will serve as a reminder to him that he needs to take some pride in his calling. Don't worry; he will be able to get out given the time."

"But, Madame-"

The lawyer had made the bad mistake of trying to press the point when Tabitha had clearly stated by the tone of her voice that the subject was closed. Her temper flared and the next instant the lawyer stopped talking mid-sentence. His eyes widened. Behind his glasses, it had the effect of making him look like a house fly. "You are no doubt feeling a severe dryness in your mouth." Said Tabitha, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "and it must feel like it is spreading down your throat, and slowly spreading throughout all the rest of your body. Do you know why it is happening?"

The lawyer tried to swallow, but couldn't, and shook his head, his wide eyes filed with terror. "That's me, sucking all of the moisture from your body. There is a reason why I am called Typhoon. It's not just cities that I can encase in ice, I also have power over the water whcih is in the human body. I can suck you completely dry and leave you ad nothing but a pile of brittle bone. Do not make me do that. Do not make me angry. And listen to me when I say that this conversation is over."

The lawyer nodded wordlessly, got to his feet so quickly that he nearly knocked his chair over and then scrambled to get out of the room.

Once he was gone, Tabitha sat back and robbed her eyes. This used to be so much easier. She heard the doors to one side of the room open, and heard another person entering the room after the lawyer had left. "That could have gone better." Said Paul, Tabitha's second-in-command. He was known to the super-villain world as Puzzler, a man who had been seared by acid during his teenage years. His brilliant mind had been ignored because all people could see was his monstrous appearance. He had resolved that if people couldn't see him for what he was willingly, then he would use force. His villainous acts often entailed his victims solving nearly impossible puzzles and riddles, and if they answered wrong, the consequences could be nasty under the best of circumstances. He normally hid badly scarred face behind a red and black hood, with openings only for his eyes and mouth. He was a menacing figure under the best of circumstances, but he was unfailingly loyal to Tabitha. He never forgot that she was in charge.

"Perhaps," said Tabitha, "but then again, maybe not. I suspect that if I had to deal with Destruction Worker himself, the results would not have been much different. These dim witted pretenders to the name of villainy never have good support."

"Why did you even take Destruction Worker on?" asked Paul, "You knew he was not good material form the beginning."

"He has potential, if only as a sounding board to test out new heroes. I might still keep him on for that purpose. I doubt that he will be in prison for long, and I doubt that he will know exactly how he is being used."

Paul sat down opposite her. "Well, I suppose that the question is, now what do we do to handle this problem?"

Tabitha was silent for a moment, as if considering her options. "I really do not know. I am almost at the end of my ideas. I have been throwing every available villain I can at Megamind and he has defeated them all without so much as a second thought. Some might have taken him longer then others, but so far none of them have been so much as a challenge for him. And any that could be a challenge to him are tied up with their own cities and their own heroes." She sighed deeply, "This has not been a good week for me."

"Tabitha, I do want to ask you, why are you so determined to bring Megamind down like this? I have heard you say that no matter how many villains exist in the world, evil will still always be confined to the shadows."

"I still think that, Paul. You know my philosophy. The world is very simple. Someone is either good or not, evil or not. Oh, perhaps we are not born that way, but our choices make us what we are. Once we start out on one path, there can never be any going back. Evil has as much a part to play in this world as good. There is a balance in this world, and has been since the beginning of time. Megamind was once a villain. Now he has suddenly decided that he can be good. He has to learn that such things simply are not done."

"But you never did seem to worry that much about him as a villain. You never even offered him a place in The Syndicate."

"There are villains all around the world who operate on their own. I let them do that. But the truth is, I never considered Megamind all that worthy of my attention. As a villain he was far too soft for me. But he was still evil, he said so himself many times, and his actions did have some potential. I had hoped to see more out of him once he killed Metro Man, but instead he turned soft and good for no apparent reason. Now, he is a hero, in direct defiance of all this is natural in this world. He is going to give the rest of us confirmed villains a bad reputation if he continues to succeed like this. That is why he must be brought down by any means possible."

"Of course, Tabitha. I understand. But, I think we have seen that such a task is not going to be easy."

"No, even I know a worthy opponent when I see one. And we have exhausted all possible options from within The Syndicate; perhaps it's time to start thinking outside the box. Perhaps there is someone who has a personal grudge against Megamind, someone who wouldn't allow defeat to stand in their way. There must be someone, surely. Not even a hero can go through life without offending somebody, and villains attract enemies wherever they go. It's an occupational hazard."

As that moment, their conversation was interrupted by a call from the secretary outside, saying that there was an incoming call for Tabitha from Lydia Davenant. When Tabitha heard this, the look on her face was one of irritation, and perhaps slight disgust. If there was one thing that she didn't need at this point in time, it was a call from her sister. She and Lydia had not been on the best of terms for years; in fact, when Tabitha had inherited The Syndicate from her father, Lydia had gone so far as to change her name, because she didn't want to be associated with The Syndicate's dealings. Part of this was because Lydia had wanted to make her own name for herself in the villain world. That Tabitha might have been willing to overlook, had it not been for the fact that Lydia insisted upon conducting her villainy in her own way, and some of her beliefs ran almost counter to what Tabitha held so dear. They were both villains fighting against heroes, but there the similarities pretty much stopped, for they were villains from two completely different points of view.

However, they both had an unspoken agreement that they at least kept up the appearance of being on sociable terms. After all, they both could leave each other alone, and a war between two super villains of the same family would only destroy their business. Contrary to popular belief, evil does not always violence to solve its own ends. Villains were perfectly capable of using rational means to solve their differences, especially if there was profit in it for them.

So, Tabitha told her secretary to put the call through, though Paul did hear her mutter under her breath right before she picked up the phone, "This had better be good, and it had better not take long."

The next second, she heard Lydia's voice on the other end of the line, sounding so cheerful, Tabitha half wondered if she was getting some sort of twisted pleasure out of this. "Hello there, sister dear, how are you?"

Tabitha put on her own show of sisterly solidarity; two could play at that game. "Quite wonderful, Lydia. And you?"

"Oh, same old, same old, I'm afraid. I know it's been awhile since I last called…."

"Yes, six months, four weeks and two days at least."

"Oh, you kept count. That makes me feel so special."

"What is the occasion now that you're calling?"

"Oh, it's nothing really. I just knew that you were most likely bogged down in all the important things that you do every day, and that you probably forgot that it's my birthday today. So, I just thought that I would call and remind you to wish me happy birthday."

"Happy birthday." Said Tabitha, rather unenthusiastically, "I didn't forget. I did send you something."

"Oh, goody. Is it anything like that lovely smoke bomb you sent me last year? Some of the walls of my lab are still stained."

"You open the gifts I send you in your lab?"

"In a locked down, all hazards accounted for part of my lab actually. Why? Do you expect me to open my gifts from you anywhere else?"

"Of course not. I open all my gifts from you in much the same surroundings. Don't worry; it's not going to be a smoke bomb this year. I'm branching out. I think that you'll enjoy it."

"Oh, I can hardly wait. So, how is The Syndicate?"

"Thriving, as always. We've taken on several new applicants this month, and we are targeting three new cities where heroes have arisen to fight the forces of evil."

"How wonderful for you. I'm sure I shall see it all on the news. I have one of my television monitors set to record anything that mentions your dealings. I like to keep track of what you're doing."

"I'm touched, and what about you, any prospects on the horizon?"

"Oh, I've been keeping my eye on a new hero that I think will prove to be most challenging. I am going to try a preemptive strike on his city in a few weeks."

"Well, I wish you luck." Said Tabitha, with false sincerity.

"And the same to you, dear sister. Well, I shall not keep you anymore from your important life. Ta ta."

"Good bye, Lydia. Happy birthday. I look forward to hearing from you, in another six months."

Tabitha hung up, restraining herself admirably from slamming the receiver down in her disgust. "I know it's necessary, but I still can't stand her." She fumed.

"That is the common complaint of most siblings." Remarked Paul, "However, most of others grow out of it."

"Not me and Lydia." Said Tabitha, "It started at birth with us, and I highly doubt that it will end any time soon. Still, it is over and done with now. I won't have to worry about her for another six months."

"You are never worried that your paths of business will intersect, that she might target a city that you have interest in?"

"No, of course not. There is a reason why Lydia keeps on eye on me and I don't have to do the same for her. She might be the eldest, but she is not the most powerful. I hold that title. And as long as I am in control of The Syndicate, she knows that what I would be capable of if she tries to cross me. I wouldn't target her, of course. She is still family. But she has made a supreme mistake of being a villain: she has people in her life that she cherishes. She made the mistake of marrying less then six months ago, and so I would be able to use that against her if she tries to encroach on me. But she won't. Lydia is quite happy in her own little world, so I let her be." She turned back to her work and said, "Now, no more of her. We have more pressing matters to deal with."

Paul rose and started to leave, but before he disappeared, Tabitha said to him, "Paul, I have been struck with a sudden idea. There must be some criminal in the Metro City prison who has a grudge to handle against Megamind; perhaps we could make use of him in defeating him. Look into it."

"Yes, Tabitha. Any place in particular I should start looking?"

"Avoid the common criminals in prison for such petty theft as shoplifting or purse snatching. Start in the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted. That might at least give us some material to work with. If we cannot find a villain, I suppose we will just have to create one."

* * *

I go the idea of the DOOM Syndicate from the book The Art of Megamind, as well as the super villain Puzzler. I really liked the idea that super villains have a union, and it does make sense when you think about it. I mean, how else can villains in all the old comic books constantly keep coming back from the disastrous setbacks they suffer at the hands of the heroes if they didn't have some sort of support? I am also going to be bringing in a villain that was also mentioned in The Art of Megamind. In fact, she made an apparence in this chapter. See if you can guess who I mean. And make a few leaps with me when I mention the powers that certain villains have. I mean, we all know that it's not possible to control water anymore than it would be possible to be bitten by a radioactive spider. Still, part of the fun of this type of genre is that the impossible can take place quite easily in the real world. I hope that you are enjoying my flights of fancy. Please drop me a review and let me know that.

Next chapter: A chapter of contrasts, of both character and weather. What happens when a guy who has always considered himself to be something of a cynical, shy person finds himself attracted to a woman who is all sunshine and warmth? (And for all you Bernard lovers, yes, he will be making his first apparence next chapter.) And what happens when rain comes when there is supposed to be sun, and Megamind finds himself encountering a type of villain that he never even knew could exist


	13. Sun and Rain

So, this is a pretty important chapter, because it introduces a new villain (not the main one, I can say, but one who will have a big impact on Megamind's future as a hero), but also Bernard. Now, we didn't see much of Bernard in the movie, and what we did see was pretty late at night, so I think it would make sense that he was a little surly. However, I am not probably going to make him permanently grumpy, as will be explained in the chapter below. So, I hope that you like how I write him. Enjoy!

Sun and Rain:  
Bernard St. Claire was not what could be called a people person. In fact, the first impression that many people had of Bernard when they first met him was of a rather surely, brusque and rude personality. This was partly true. Bernard was rather blunt, he took no nonsense from anyone and he was not afraid to tell people what he thought of them. But to think that Bernard was simply rude would be to miss the chance of meeting a singularly interesting man.

The real truth was that Bernard was extremely shy, and preferred to keep aloof from other people in order to avoid being hurt by them. Bernard was also smart, and too often the combination of shyness and smarts can give people the wrong idea of how a person behaves.

Bernard had always been shy, but it had been nearly a dilapidating problem for him when he first started school. He was easily picked on by the other kids, but when it became evident that he was falling far behind in such subjects as reading and math, it became worse. Though he worked as hard as he could, and he clearly understood when allowed to work at his own pace, his teachers still believed that Bernard was simply lazy, and kept giving him extra work in order to break him of the habit.

Of course, that didn't work, and the situation hardly improved as Bernard advanced through school. By the time of the third grade, the teasing had become more brutal and the teachers were doing nothing to either help Bernard or protect him from the taunting of the other children. Fed up, Bernard's parents had removed him from school and started to educate him at home.

Here, Bernard at last began to flourish. His reading skills improved vastly, and he read anything he could get his hands on, especially those that had to do with the science of astronomy and the universe. Astronomy was his favorite topic, and it wasn't long before he knew several textbook size works on the subject almost by heart. Despite his earlier difficulties, Bernard also developed an aptitude for math, as well. Nor was he at all isolated because he did not go to school. He joined plenty of clubs, and had friends. It just took them awhile to make them, and those friends he had, he kept close. Shyness is not a failure. No amount of socialization can ever remove it entirely. He also carried the painful memories of his public school years. So, he tended to keep people at arms length, until he knew that they could be trusted.

His job at theMegamind Museum meant that he often came into contact with other people. He normally kept his conversations short and to the point, and rarely did he worry about what others thought of him. But, that was before he had met Melissa Thornton.

When Bernard had first heard that the Hitchcock Observatory would be reopening, he had had mixed feelings. On the one hand, he had been thrilled (even if no one else would have been able to perceive it). He had often thought that the old Observatory was due for a renovation. But, when he heard that the main staff for the observatory world be working at theMegamindMuseumuntil the observatory opened, he had been somewhat less than enthusiastic.

He had been certain that the additional people would lead to nothing but trouble in the long run, and those they would try to nose into his business. Imagine his surprise when the opposite had proved to be true. Melissa kept a tight rein on her workers, telling that they were not to interfere in the Museum's workings. She had said that they were the visitors, and as such, they should treat their hosts with respect.

Bernard had not expected that. He was always more inclined to regard someone with suspicion rather then openness. But, the surprises were not at an end. Melissa had begun coming to him, not to critique his management style, but to ask for his advice about the Observatory.

Bernard didn't know how to react to that, still less because he could see that Melissa was his complete opposite in terms of personality. She was bright, optimistic, and happy. She had a good word for everyone and seemed to have a nearly unlimited supply of energy. Most of the time, Bernard found those qualities to be annoying, since they almost always proved to be insincere. But Melissa was completely without guile. She was all genuine.

So, it was with some surprise that Bernard found he was actually starting to look forward to seeing Melissa every day. He had called to make sure she was all right after the incident with Destruction Worker, something he never had done before. The next day, she had come into work with a spirited retelling of the kidnapping, which had everyone on the staff laughing themselves into stitches. Even he had admitted to crackling a smile and chuckling a little. Bernard did have a sense of humor, it was mostly just dead pan and it took awhile to appreciate it. Well, not if you were Melissa. She seemed to think that Bernard was very funny. She didn't laugh out all loud at all his jokes, but she smiled at all of them, and that, in some ways, meant more to Bernard.

In the end, Bernard had to admit that it was a strange happening. Melissa was sunshine; he was more like a cloud. And yet, for all that, he was feeling sense of warmth because of Melissa. Even if he couldn't explain it, he rather liked it.

About two weeks after the events of Destruction Worker, Bernard was in his office, when Melissa literally seemed to bounce into the office, as though everything was right and beautiful in the world. "Hi, Bernard."

Bernard looked up and actually managed something that was a half smile. "Hi there, Melissa," (Melissa had insisted that Bernard call her by her first name), "Can I do anything for you?"

"I was just wondering if you would like to go out for lunch today."

"I actually brought my own lunch."

"Perfect, so do you want to go?"

Bernard was a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, Bernard. You really shouldn't work through lunch all the time. I read an article the other day that said it was unhealthy to spend all day in the office. It causes cancer, you know."

Bernard looked at her. "You didn't."

"Well, okay, maybe I didn't in those terms, but I don't think it would be a bad idea for you to get out for awhile. What harm would eating outside for an hour do you?"

Bernard thought about this for a moment, but it might also have been the slight puppy dog look in Melissa's eyes that carried the point. "Well, all right, if it will keep you from bothering me for the rest of the day."

Melissa grinned. "Don't worry; you won't hear a peep out of me for the rest of the day.

* * *

It was a beautiful day inMetroCity. The sun shone down from a bright blue sky, dotted with white poufy clouds. A warm southern wind blew softly through the treetops. The forecast was calling for more of the same, with no end of the fine weather in sight. It meant that children were playing in the parks, lovers were walking hand in hand, and everyone might have been taking extra long lunch hours just to enjoy the weather.

Bernard and Melissa sat on one of the benches that ran alongside the reflecting pool in front of the Museum. "So, what are you having today?" asked Melissa.

Bernard couldn't get over the fact that even if they were talking about something as mundane as their daily brown bag lunches, Melissa still seemed to take an avid interest in it. It was almost as if she thrived on the companionship of other people. Yet another difference between them. Were it anyone else, Bernard wouldn't be enjoying himself. He didn't know what it was about Melissa though, that made it seem so natural.

"Really just leftovers. I have them a lot. Saves a lot of money I think." Said Bernard, as he took out his chicken pot pie he had made from the night before.

"So you know how to cook then?"

"A little. I can't put together a five course meal, but I can survive without having to eat carry-out and frozen food all the time. What about you? What are you having?"

"I am having possibly one of the best foods I have ever experienced in my life time. I never realized that such a simple food could be so amazing."

Bernard looked at her, as she withdrew a peanut butter sandwich from her paper bag. "A peanut butter sandwich? You think a peanut butter sandwich is the best food in the world?"

"Well, no of course not. But they taste wonderful."

Bernard watched Melissa, puzzled by the look of rapture that was on her face as he watched her eat her sandwich. "You mean to tell me that you never had a peanut butter sandwich until recently?"

"No." said Melissa, with delight, "In fact, I'd never even had peanut butter until a few days ago. I can't imagine how I ever lived without it. It's one of the best foods I've ever had."

"How did you not grow up with peanut butter?" asked Bernard, somewhat amazed, "I thought it was supposed to be a staple of American childhood."

Melissa shrugged, "I guess I grew up deprived. I love peanut butter, but I have to admit, I don't like the crunchy kind."

"Oddly enough, neither doI. I can't stand seeing all those bumps in my sandwich, not to mention that awful crunch whenever I bite into it. It makes me feel like I am eating bugs."

"Yeah, and who wants to eat bugs crunchy?" said Melissa, "They're much better when they're ground into a paste."

Bernard looked at her, "What did you say?"

Melissa's eye widened for a split second, as though she had something that she shouldn't have, but quickly recovered. "I mean, I only assume that. After all, people in the rest of the world do eat bugs, don't they?"

"Yeah, I guess, but how would you know that?"

Melissa appeared lost for an answer, but as it turned out, she was not fated to answer just then. For at that moment, the weather underwent a swift and immediate change. A wet, damp wind began to blow, gaining strength within seconds. The clouds which had been only cute little, puffy balls floating across the sky grew into dark thunderhead clouds which soon covered the sky like a great sheet, blocking out the light from the sun and casting a shadow on Metro City. Thunder rumbled and lightening split the sky, rain began to fall in great sheets and buckets, soaking anyone who was unfortunate to be caught in the downpour. As everyone who had been outside enjoying the nice (which meant nearly half the population of Metro City itself), were scrambling for cover, there was one question which everyone was asking: what one earth was going on? Where had this crazy weather come from? It wasn't supposed to rain like this, there hadn't even been any sign of rain on the radar for miles, and no storm like this could have come from nowhere.

The weather stations quickly cut into regular viewing to report on this strange turn of events, but they didn't seem to have any good answer for this strange phenomenon either, beyond the fact that it happened so suddenly, it almost didn't seem to be natural. No doubt some of the weather forecasters were anxious to look innocent, as they might very well lose their jobs over making such an egregious fault in their calculations, as to forecast sun when there was now rain. The public being ever to apt to blame things beyond their control on another power, bad weather inevitably became the fault of the one who had predicted it, or not.

In this case, however, the weathermen were innocent of any wrong doing. This storm hadn't been caused by natural proceedings. Someone was trying to get attention and specifically, the attention of one person in particular. The storm had been raging for an hour, and growing progressively worse, when the weathermen who had been on the TV of every home in Metro City were suddenly cut off, replaced by the image of a blond haired woman, dressed in a dark green outfit with purple highlights. A mask covered her face, and all that could be seen was the sardonic gleam in her light green eyes, and the smirk on her face. She had a British accent in her voice, which lent crispness and perhaps added menace to her words as she addressed the assembled citizens ofMetroCity.

"Cower in fear,MetroCity. You have enjoyed your last day of sun. From this day forth, the weather in Metro City will be what I dictate it to be. You will never again be able to plan for the weather, for it will change from one day to the next, perhaps even from one hour to the next if I am feeling bored. Do not try and resist me, or the consequences will be dire. I can summon hail which will damage your prize cars beyond repair, I can make the temperatures soar to scorching highs or plummet to icy depths. Sometimes, if I am feeling especially creative, I can bring drought in one part of the city and torrential downpours in another. I am not to be stopped. And if you think your precious hero is capable of standing against me, and then let him come and try me. I will be waiting at the heart of downtown, right in front of City Hall."

Of course, such a challenge to the city's resident hero could not go unanswered. Plus, Megamind had an extra reason to be a little miffed at this sudden interruption of life's normal flow. He had made reservations at a fancy restaurant with Roxanne that night. He had planned it on the terrace, but of course, that wouldn't be happening. A perfectly romantic evening ruined. Obviously, Megamind was not in the mood to face yet another second-rate villain.

As he and Minion approached City Hall in the invisible car, he was visibly fuming. "I can't believe these second rate hacks that have the nerve to call themselves super villains." He was ranting to Minion, "Don't they at least have the decency to call before they waltz into this city and disrupt all the plans that I make? It's like they think I don't have a life outside of the hero business."

"It's very rude, sir." Said Minion, who didn't mention that Megamind had once been guilty of the same thing when he was a villain. Disrupting the normal routine of other people was a perquisite for being a villain. However, he also knew that his master probably wasn't in the mood to hear that. The best thing was to just agree with everything he said. It would make this whole thing go smoother.

"It's more than rude, it's unprofessional." Said Megamind, as they pulled into view of the City Hall. Squinting through the heavy curtain of rain, he looked for any sign that Lady Doppler might be waiting for them. "Well, where is she? That would be just like a villain, to set up a time and place to meet and then not show up."

"Sir, please be calm. Maybe we could-"

At that moment, the communication panel which Megamind had installed in the invisible car suddenly began beeping, indicating that there was some sort of incoming transmission. "Oh, now what?" Megamind groaned, "Another telemarketer service? Honestly, can't they leave me alone? I tell them repeatedly I have no need of their products. I could make them all better myself." He hit the response button on the panel, and answered rather annoyed, "Yes, what is it?"

Imagine their surprise when the voice on the other end turned out to be that of Lady Doppler. "Ah, so Megamind, you dared to show your face to me. you should have stayed away. You don't know what I am capable of."

Megamind knew the old opening challenge. It had actually been awhile since he had heard it, so at least the villainess had some sort of decency to declare herself. Still, that didn't improve his mood all that much. "I have seen your ilk before, Lady Doppler, if that is what you call yourself. I know why you have brought this disastrous weather onMetroCity, and let me tell you, you shall not succeed. There is nothing that you can gain from it."

"Oh, but there is, Megamind. When I am through with this city, there will never be one day of sun again. No more picnics, no more parents dragging their children to those ridiculous little league games. There will be no more enjoyment in the weather, and that it exactly how it should be. Isn't that the goal of all villainy? To drain the world of all pleasure until the pathetic inhabitants of this Earth known as humans become nothing more then insects, crawling to their doom without hope left?"

When he heard this, Megamind's mood would begin to change ever so slightly. Had this villain actually prepared an opening speech? If it was, it wasn't half bad. good length, poetic language, good imagery. His had been better, of course, but then he couldn't expect perfection from everyone. It was still too early in the game, but maybe there was something in this that he could follow.

He decided to give it a try. "You certainly seem to have a very exalted idea of yourself, Lady Doppler. But, let me tell you that weather systems are a temporary feature of the landscape. Once the storm blows itself out, there will be sun again. You cannot possibly go against the laws of nature."

"Laws were meant to be broken, Megamind, even the pitiful laws of nature. And who wrote those laws if I might ask? And what are the punishments for breaking them? You could say that if they were never written down and codified in a court of law, then they are nonexistent. Therefore, what is holding me back from breaking them?"

That did it. Megamind's face split into a big grin. Excitement coursed through his veins. This was it, he could feel it. He had lain down the challenge and Lady Doppler was rising to meet it, as no other villain had. Why, she had even used the word "codified". She actually knew what she was talking about. "I am the one who is making sure you follow the laws, Lady Doppler. Even those which do no seem to exist should be respected. So come out and see if you can challenge me."

"Then look to your left, only I would advise you to get out of the way very fast."

"Sir," said Minion, looking at a flashing light on the sensor screen, "there's an object approaching our car. Sensors indicate that it is composed primarily of ice and other particulate matter. Actually, it looks like a giant hail stone."

"Hail stone?" said Megamind, even as he gunned he motor to move out of the path of the missile, barely in time. The hail stone missile whistled past them and exploded nearby in shards of ice. This was followed by the roar of an engine from about one hundred feet away, and the next that Megamind and Minion saw was a bright yellow Porsche pulling into the rain in front of them, obviously intending for them to give chase, and Megamind with a whoop, gunned the motor and pulled after her.

This went on for several minutes, the hero and villain chasing after each other in their cars, Lady Doppler occasionally firing off a missile of hail. It turned out that her car, though it resembled a Porsche, was actually a highly advanced vehicle that was fitted up with various instruments which all seemed to have some sort of connection to the formation of weather, though it would take awhile to determine the purpose of them all.

Throughout it all, Megamind was having the time of his life. He hadn't enjoyed a battle this much since his encounters with Metro Man. He always enjoyed his battles, but this opponent, she truly seemed to car about her craft. Her theme of the weather was actually very creative. Why, hail missiles, why had he never thought of that? And her banter, her banter was perfect. She picked up on all his terminology about the weather, cold and warm fronts, he even threw in a few references to hurricanes and tornados and she picked them all up and threw them back at him in perfect timing.

At last, Minion, who was a little worried about how excited his master was becoming, finally suggested, "Sir, there's a side street coming up here. If you could trap her there, she wouldn't be able to use her hail missiles. According to my observations, she can't use them in close quarters. That seems to be her main defense, so if you take that away…"

"We'll have her." said Megamind, "Right you are, Minion. No problem, I'm on it."

Megamind floored the gas pedal to the floor (and it was fortunate that Minion had designed the invisible car with such good restraints, otherwise both hero and sidekick would have gone flying through the front windshield), and sped forward so that his car was right beside that of Lady Doppler. He rammed the invisible car against Lady Doppler. Her car went spinning, the tires screeching on the rain-slicked street, before crashing into the wall of a building in the narrow alley way and coming to a sputtering halt.

"We've got her cornered, Minion." Said Megamind, who seemed much more excited by this victory then he had been for awhile. In fact, he wouldn't have minded if the chase had gone on a little longer. But he could not shirk his duty as the city's new hero, so he knew that he had to do the proper thing and bring Lady Doppler in. Thusly, he once more reached for the speaker and said into it, "All right, lady Doppler. You had beater say good bye to spoiling the sunny days of Metro City. You've put in a good fight, but the thunderstorms which evil brings into this city can never last for long when they have spent their fury. It's time you learned that all storms are merely temporary features of the landscape, but the sun of goodness will outshine them all."

Almost eagerly, Megamind waited to see what she would say to that. However, instead of replying with a defiant statement of how evil such as hers would always be there to occlude the sun's light (at least, that's what he would have said) she said the last thing that Megamind and Minion even thought. "I am impressed, Megamind. You're reputation is nothing compared to the reality. I have to say that I think quite a lot has been achieved here today. Unfortunately, this is where we must part company."

Both Megamind and Minion looked at each other, puzzled. That response didn't really make sense, especially considering what had been passing between hero and villain for the past half hour. Thinking quickly, Megamind replied into the speaker. "Yes, you are right, Lady Doppler. The paths of good and evil are ever separate. Yours is leading to prison, and mine will continue lead to stop other villains such as you."

"No, you don't understand me, I'm afraid. I have no intention of going to prison today. However, I should like to continue our discussion. Should you like to know anything else about me, I will be at the broad walk on the west side ofMetroCityat 9:00 tonight. I look forward to seeing you there."

Before Megamind could make any sort of response, Lady Doppler's car, which they had thought to be disabled, suddenly gunned back to life. It didn't roar away, as might be expected of any other super villain's car, but instead, great wings sprouted from the sides of the car, and when these wings caught the wind which had been blowing because of the storm, it lifted the car up and away from the street, and it was soon lost to sight amidst the buildings. Both Megamind and Minion stared at the sight, open-mouthed. For several minutes, neither of them could say anything. They had never seen anything like that, especially from the previous super-villains which they had been facing over the past few months.

And when Megamind finally found his voice, it was almost wild with excitement. "Minion, did you see that? What an exit! Almost as good as one of mine. Minion, could this be it? Have I finally found it? At last, a person who is worthy of being my adversary." He threw back his head and let loose a laugh, "Oh, this is wonderful. I can't remember a time when I enjoyed a battle this much. Maybe this wasn't such a bad day after all."

"But sir, she did escape." Minion pointed out.

"Oh, right, yes, she did." said Megamind, who struggled to regain his composure, though his eyes were dancing with excitement. "Well, that is unfortunate, but you heard her, she wants to meet with me, tonight. Why would she do that? That is such unvillain like behavior, but still very intriguing."

Minion looked at his Master in disbelief. He had heard Megamind say many things over the many years he had been at his side, but still, this had to be one of the craziest. "You can't actually be thinking of taking her up on her offer?"

"Yes, I actually think that I am. But, first things first. We need to assess the damage that has been left in her absence."

Oddly, there was no report of damage from Lady Doppler's rampage, at least, no damage that was unusual in the conflicts between heroes and villains. Also, there was no report of injury, not even a scraped knee. Due to the line of thunderstorms which she had unleashed upon the city, Metro City's span of good weather would not be returning for quite some time. That was truly the only evil thing that Lady Doppler had done. When he learned this, Megamind found himself even more intrigued. A villain who was classy, knew her witty banter, and also seemed to have some form of ethics? Could this be the one villain he had been looking for? Well, there was one sure way to find out. He decided that he was going to meet Lady Doppler that night. He had the feeling that it would be a most interesting meeting.

* * *

Please read and review. It keeps the inspiration flowing.

Next chapter: Lady Doppler presents a business proposition to Megamind, and it is something that he never thought of before when he was a villain. Can a villain and a hero really have a contract to work in opposition? Well, the question must be asked, how exactly would heroes and villains do business any other way?


	14. Busines Proposition

Business Proposition:

To say that Megamind was curious about Lady Doppler's invitation would have been an understatement. It took all the persuasion on Minion's side to actually let his Master take him along. "Sir, you can't trust this woman. Already her actions have caused rain storms in the city which will be lasting for several days? What happens if she tries to strike you down with lightening?"

"Minion, if she had the power to control lightening, she would have made more use of it during the attack. I've never encountered another super villain like her. Didn't you hear what she was saying in our banter? She actually knew what she was talking about. And that escape, I've never seen such a magnificent escape, except for my attempts, of course. I wonder why we never thought of a flying car. Minion, do you think we could add that feature to the invisible car?"

"Uh, I don't know, sir. Some might look on that as stealing your ideas from another source."

"True, true. I wouldn't want to be guilty of plagiarism, not now that I'm a hero. Still, maybe there would be some way to make the idea our own."

"Sir, can we stay on topic?"

"Of course, Minion. I do understand your concerns, but please, let me do this. I really think that I should. Don't as me why, I just have a feeling about it."

Minion sighed. He knew how stubborn his Master could be, and once he set his mind to something, it was difficult, If not impossible to change it. "Fine, sir. But at least let me come with you. I mean, she probably won't be coming alone. Do you know of any super villains who go to a secret assignation alone?"

"Good point, my simian sidekick. Fine, you can come with me, but only one condition."

"What's that, sir?"

Megamind dropped his voice to a secretive whisper, even if the two of them were the only ones in the Lair. "Don't tell Roxanne this, not yet, at least."

"I wouldn't dream of it, sir."

* * *

Half way across town, Roxanne was dropping off Kaitlin at her apartment. "Good work today, Kaitlin." Said Roxanne, "I know that it can seem a little stressful following Megamind's escapades, but you've handled it really well."

Kaitlin smiled. "It's actually quite stimulating, in a good way. Do you think that this Lady Doppler will show up again? Megamind didn't manage to catch her."

"Don't worry, Kaitlin. Megamind probably scared her off." Roxanne thought she saw Kaitlin's eyes flicker with amusement, but she wasn't completely sure. That wasn't unusual. There were some eccentricities about Kaitlin's character, and one of them was being amused about things which seemed to be left unsaid. Roxanne sometimes wondered if she was psychic, though such thoughts were normally dismissed rather quickly. Roxanne liked Kaitlin, even if there were some things about her that were sometimes a little out of the ordinary. Why should she be critical of that? She was dating a former super villain who always used to kidnap her and was now the defender of the city, who also happened to have a robotic-fish sidekick and a bunch of robots that were as much pet dogs as workers. Roxanne's whole life was out of the ordinary.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow." Said Kaitlin.

Roxanne said goodbye and began to drive away. A few blocks on, her cell phone started ringing. Without checking the caller ID, she flipped it on and said, "Roxanne Ritchi, speaking."

Imagine her surprise when a female voice that she had never heard before answered. "Miss Ritchi, I would be much obliged if you would come over to the BroadWalk on the East side of Metro City. I think you will find the experience truly enlightening."

"Who is this?" said Roxanne, but the line went abruptly dead. Roxanne looked at the phone and after a moment's consideration, turned the car and headed for the Broad Walk.

True, Roxanne wasn't stupid. She normally wouldn't have accepted an invitation to a remote part of the city's Broad Walk from a total stranger calling her in the middle of the night under ordinary circumstances. But, she was curious. Now that she thought about it, she had heard that voice before just that afternoon. And she wanted to know why Lady Doppler would be calling her of all people. True, there might have been the risk of a kidnapping. But, then again, couldn't this villainess have just as easily done so earlier, and why go to all the trouble of luring her somewhere? No, Roxanne sensed that there was a rather different reasoning to all this and she intended to find out what it was.

* * *

Imagine the surprise of Megamind, Minion and Roxanne when all three of them showed up at the Broad walk, at almost exactly the same moment. "Roxanne, what are you doing here?" said Megamind, once the three of them had stopped staring at each other in complete shock.

"I got a phone call from someone who told me to meet them here. It actually sounded a lot like Lady Doppler."

Megamind's eyes widened in horror. "You're here at the invitation of a strange villain? Roxanne, are you insane? You could have-"

"Just what are you doing here?" asked Roxanne, pointedly.

Megamind blushed and stuttered. "Well, I… That is to say, Minion and I…"

"Before she disappeared, Lady Doppler told me to meet him here." supplied Minion, helpfully. "He was curious."

Megamind beamed his sidekick an annoyed glare. "I do not recall asking for your input, Minion."

"So, we're both here for the same reason." Said Roxanne, before the two of them could fall into an argument. "But, where is Lady Doppler? She said she was going to be here to meet us."

"Well, if she doesn't keep her appointment, she will prove herself to be very rude." Said Megamind, "I am a professional hero, after all, and I have a schedule to keep."

No sooner were the words out of his moth then they heard the sound of an approaching car. A few seconds later, a pair of headlights sliced through the darkness, and a convertible soon pulled to stop a little ways in front of them.

Instinctively, Megamind placed himself in front of Megamind and Minion. "Don't make any sudden moves. She may have something sinister planned."

"Then why lure you out here in the middle of nowhere?" asked Roxanne, "Don't super villains like to have a crowd to play too?"

"You can never tell with super villains. She might be deranged or something."

Before Roxanne could respond, a woman got out of the car and came towards them. the threesome were somewhat confused, because it appeared to be only a woman dressed in clothes that were perfectly normal, and in fact, aside from everything else, everything about her was perfectly normal.

However, she came right up to Megamind, Roxanne and Minion, and she said in a tone that was perfectly amiable, "Megamind, I'm so glad you accepted my invitation."

Megamind blinked, completely confused. "Who are you?"

The woman laughed, as though Megamind had just said something incredibly funny. "Oh, come now, Megamind, am I really that unrecognizable without my disguise?"

Megamind stared at her for a few seconds, and then it suddenly hit him. "Lady Doppler?"

"Correct. I knew you would guess it."

Minion and Roxanne were surprised as well. "Wait, you're Lady Doppler?"

"I just said that, didn't I? Actually, Lady Doppler is my stage name. My real name is Lydia Davenant, but I would prefer it if you called me Lydia."

"But, but you, or Lady Doppler, or whatever you call yourself, spoke with a British accent." Said Minion.

"Oh, that." said Lydia, adopting momentarily the voice that Roxanne had heard on the phone and which had terrorized the citizens of Metro City that day. "Well, you must admit, it does add a little bit to the image, don't you think?"

Megamind, Roxanne and Minion still looked totally mystified. Lydia, after a few moments' silence, said, "Am I not saying something I should be saying, because you are all looking at me like I'm crazy?"

"If you really are Lady Doppler, what are you doing here?" asked Megamind.

"Ah yes, getting right down to the heart of the matter. That's what I like about you, Megamind. I asked you here tonight to offer you a business proposition."

Megamind seemed surprised yet again, but a little intrigued. No villain had ever spoken like this to him before. In fact, he had never spoken like this when he was a villain. "What kind of business proposition would you, a super villain, want with someone like me, a hero?"

"Shouldn't it be obvious? You need a regular villain to do battle with and I need a worthy opponent. It works out for both of us."

"You want to go into business with Megamind?" said Roxanne, in disbelief. "As his opponent."

"Precisely, Miss Ritchi. You do catch on fast."

"But, that's not how things are done." Said Minion, "I mean, they aren't, right?"

"With all due respect, Mr. Minion," said Lydia, "I'm afraid your Master had only ever one opponent, Metro Man. He is probably not aware of how some of us other villains operate. I have been following your battles ever since you turned hero Megamind. You are extremely talented at the hero business, but no opponent I have seen you engage with is worthy of your talents."

"You are right." said Megamind, "But how would I know you were worthy of being my opponent?"

"Consider what happened today as my entrance interview. I know how truly discouraging and boring it is to not have an opponent who tests you. I have had to break off several contracts with people who called themselves heroes for that very reason."

Megamind had to admit that she had a point. He still felt as though his intellect had a lot to do, but he had been half afraid that if someone better didn't show up soon, he might fall into some sort of vacuum that had haunted him at the supposed death of Metro Man.

On the other hand, he did have a few reservations. "What exactly would this proposition entail?" he asked, "I do hope that you are not planning on killing anyone. If you are, I would advise you to leave right now and never contact me again."

Lydia, however, looked almost offended. "You honestly think that I would do that? Megamind, look my name under super villain and though you may find plenty of crimes, murder is not among them, in any of the cities that I terrorize. No, what I provide is the spectacle, explosions, excitement, the epic battles between the broad strokes of good and evil that the public wants. That's what I specialize in. I can offer several references from fellow heroes such as yourself, all of whom have been impressed with my work."

"More?" said Roxanne, "You mean, you have more of these contracts with other heroes?"

Lydia shrugged, as though it were perfectly natural. "Of course. I currently serve as a villain for vie cities. You would be the sixth. And I can assure you that I am a hard worker and always follow through on my promises. That being said, you do realize that I wouldn't always be able to be terrorizing Metro City. My schedule changes monthly, but I would always be there at least twice every month, and perhaps more, if the two of us could work it out."

"Wait, just wait a minute." Said Roxanne, "You realize how wrong this sounds? I mean, villains aren't supposed to act like this, heroes aren't supposed to make contracts with them. That's like politicians making shady deals so they can get more power."

"She does have a point, sir." Said Minion, "You never negotiated this way with Metro Man."

"Yes, but Metro Man was my only opponent, Minion, and even you have to admit that, part of my rivalry with him extended partly from a childhood grudge. Besides, we did have some form of understanding, however unspoken it might have been. We had rules, limits, and boundaries. Why should it not be the same for other villains and heroes in the world? Now that I think about it, it does make good business sense."

"And that's all it is, just business." Said Lydia, "Look, Miss Ritchi, I know how all this must sound, but there's nothing corrupt or shady about it. Many villains and heroes have this sort of arrangement. And as a contract between two private citizens, there's nothing illegal about it. That was part of the reason why I wanted you and Minion to be here; so you could see for yourselves that I have nothing to hide. I am aware of how big a choice this would be for Megamind's career. So I wanted to include the people the he cares most about. Also, I want to assure you that I won't be kidnapping you. Unless, of course, you insist on it."

Roxanne couldn't help but notice that the prospect really didn't excite Lydia all that much. "Um, thanks. I have kind of had enough kidnappings to last a lifetime. But, that strikes me as a little odd. You're telling you don't do kidnappings?"

"Oh, I used to, but it takes so much work. You have to find the person, knock them out, and drag them to the place where the main event will be staged. Then there is the proper reaction that has been arranged with the victim, whether it is fainting, screaming or trying to put on a brave front. Then, once everything is taken care of, there is the whole bother of making sure that they get home safely. It's all so much work, and when you have a schedule to keep as I do, it all tends to be much more work then its worth."

"Well, the fact that you won't touch Roxanne is certainly a point in your favor." Said Megamind, "Though, I have to admit it's rather unexpected. I would have thought that kidnapping was a mandatory part of all hero-super villain contracts."

"It is sometimes, but even then the kidnappees are normally part of the negotiation and demand their own equal wages."

Roxanne's interest was peaked by this. "So, people can actually get paid to be kidnapped."

"Yes, it can be a rather lucrative position of one can get it."

"Wow, sir, to bad we never did that with Miss Ritchi." Said Minion.

"Minion," said Megamind, "We don't want to be giving Roxanne any ideas." He turned back to Lydia. "Your proposition is intriguing, Lydia. But I'm afraid that I can't give you an answer right away. I'm a little new at this, and I need time to consider it."

"Of course, I completely understand." Said Lydia. She handed him a large manila envelope. "Here, I believe you will find all the information that you need inside. I look forward to hearing from you soon." With that, Lydia turned and walked back towards her car.

Once she had driven away, Roxanne, Megamind and Minion all stood for a moment, still a little surprised by what happened. "Well, that was certainly unexpected." Said Minion.

"Yes, quite, Minion." Said Megamind, as he looked at the envelope, "But I must admit, intriguing."

"So, you're actually thinking of accepting her offer?" said Roxanne, who was still having a little trouble working her mind around this whole idea of heroes and villains working together in opposition.

"Well, I really don't know. I mean, I won't if you don't want me too but Roxanne, this is the first time that I've had a worthy villain to oppose me since I became a hero. If I don't find one soon, I'm afraid that my brain power will start to atrophy, and we all know what happened the last time I got bored. This seems like a much safer way to get opponents without resorting to drastic measures."

While Roxanne believed that Megamind had learned his lesson the firs time, there was something to be said for allowing him to have someone to fight against. She had learned something in the constant battles between Megamind and Metro Man: it was more like an epic panorama of good versus evil, it was a play. She thought this was why people in Metro City seemed to so enthusiastic about their conflicts. Maybe there was something to be said for a contract with another person who took on the role of super villain, especially on that seemed to take it a little less seriously then Megamind had done.

Roxanne also found herself intrigued by Lydia, AKA Lady Doppler. She almost seemed, well, nice, as odd as that might seem. "Look, let's not jump to any hasty conclusions." She said, "Look at what she gave you and check outside sources, and then we'll make our choice."

"Ah, yes, right, of course." Said Megamind, who seemed actually relieved that she hadn't rejected the idea outright. "That would be the best way. Conduct our research and then make our decision together."

"Yes, and we start right now. You still owe me dinner."

"I didn't forget." Said Minion, "I put a casserole in the oven before Sir and I left. Since it's probably too later for your dinner reservations and the restaurant and since it's still fairly damp outside, it wouldn't be that much fun to eat outside anyway."

"Oh, Minion, thanks." Said Roxanne, "You're so sweet."

"Then what does that make me?" Megamind asked, pouting.

"That makes you sweet, too, for having someone like Minion who remembers these things when you don't. Besides, you really do owe me."

"Owe you? For what?"

"All those years of kidnapping. I could have named my own price."

With a smile that caused Megamind to become momentarily speechless, she headed back to her car. "She's not serious, is she, Minion?" he asked, out of the corner of his mouth.

"I really don't know, sir. You might not want to inquire further."

"I thought that she would be less maddening now that we're in a relationship."

"I believe that the opposite is most often true, sir."

Megamind couldn't help agreeing with Minion. Most things were not a challenge for his large brain to figure out. But, the one person he suspected he would never understand as long as he lived was Roxanne Ritchi. And to be truthful, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: A loaded chapter, wherein Kaitoia receives a visit from someone dear to her, she and Melisande move their mission on Earth to the next phase, and Tabitha Davenport at last finds the villain that she has been looking for.


	15. Visitation

Visitation:

"_Hello there, darling. So nice of you to drop in."_

She had to smile at the sound of his voice. She couldn't see him, but that was all right. It had been nearly two months since she had had any contact wit him, she was willing to take whatever she could. _"I could say the same to you. Who contacted who, I wonder?"_

"_Does it really matter? I have missed you so, Kaitoia."_

"_And I you, Kerestan. How is everything at home?"_

"_Quite the same as normal, except that there is not you to make it all the brighter. Poor Jocasta cried almost nonstop for two weeks when you left. I think she is better now, for the most part."_

"_I'm glad to hear it. Please tell her that I miss her as well, and her cooking. But don't tell her that some of the food on Earth is as good as what she makes at home."_

"_I saw your reports that the vegetables on Earth grow underground, and their fruit grows on trees. That almost seems backward to everything we have ever been taught. Are you certain that it is right?"_

"_Yes, Kerestan. It's the strangest thing. They have a bright, red juicy fruit they call an apple but instead of growing underground as any fruit should grow, they are literally falling out of trees. The only exception seems to be something called a tomato. No one can agree if that is a fruit or a vegetable."_

"_And what about effa? What are you using as a substitute to keep yourself awake through the night?"_

"_Kerestan, they have effa on earth. It's nearly identical, only they call it coffee. And they have this wonderful desert called chocolate. Oh, I wish you could try it, Kerestan, its divine."_

"_And Megamind, have you met him?"_

"_Yes, a few times. He's a fascinating individual. He is so sure and confidant of his abilities, but he is also so naïve about many things in life. Roxanne has told me that he still sometimes has troubles with his self-esteem. I don't think his life has been easy."_

She could almost see the smile forming on his face. _"Should I be jealous, my love?"_

"_Of course not. Megamind is, well, he is far too busy for me, if you understand me. His mind seems to travel faster then the speed of light. I couldn't hope to keep up with all his ideas."_

"_Yes, with your telepathic abilities, I can imagine just being around him must be exhausting. How do you hand the ideas that are rolling off of him?"_

"_By trying to ignore them, though that's not always easy. He is almost certainly a Gifted, and I couldn't handle someone like that. I much prefer you."_

"_I suppose I might be able to take that as a compliment if I think about it very hard."_

"_You know what I mean, Kerestan."_

"_Of course, I do."_ A moment of silence, and he asked again, _"Your dreams, have they come back?"_

"_No, they haven't. It's something of a relief, knowing they're gone, but I can't let myself think that they have just vanished. But, I can't think about them all the same. There is too much to consider."_

"_That is for the best. You are happy, then?"_

"_Yes, I am. Only you aren't here, so I can't ever be completely happy."_

"_But I am there, I am always there. And since it seems the link between us exists even this far, I might be able to drop by again."_

"_I would like that. But you are fading already. Can you tell?"_

"_Yes, but don't worry. My love for you is never going to fade. Goodbye, my darling Kaitoia. Be safe, until we meet once more."_

"_You as well, Kerestan. Good bye."_

Then Kerestan's presence left her, and Kaitoia was left in a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Kaitoia awoke feeling unusually well rested. She was still getting used to the length of nights on Earth, which were half as long as those on Chandos IV. They also didn't have anything remotely resembling the phenomenon known as Daylight Savings Time, so she had had to get used to that as well. She often found herself waking up at an hour when most of the people of Metro City were asleep. She spent most of that time working, so it was not unusual for Melisande to wake up after her (the extra night hours weren't a problem for Melisande, she actually enjoyed a legitimate excuse to sleeping longer).

However, when Kaitoia awoke that day, Melisande had beaten her to it. "Well, good morning, sleepyhead." Said Melisande, "And I can finally say that to you. Though, I must say, the bed head is never a problem with you."

Kaitoia laughed as she switched on her disguise. She had tried sleeping in it, but she could never get comfortable, so she just slept in her Tandaren skin. "You're one to talk, Melis. You never wake up with bad hair. You always look like the people on those Lunesta commercials when you get up in the morning."

"Hey, I can't help it if perfect hair is part of the genome." Said Melisande, "Still, it's weird you getting up before me. Of course, Seren has been doing work before either of us were up."

"Oh, really? What has been occupying your time, Seren?"

The snake had been at the computer, tapping out commands with her tail and nose. She paused and looked over at them. "I have just been doing some follow-up research on the modern music which everyone in Metro City listens too." She pressed a series of commands on the computer. The next instant, the room was filled with the sounds of, well, Kaitoia wasn't exactly sure what to call it. It certainly was not the sweeping, lush orchestrations that she was growing to love. This could only be described as the screeching of a dying cat, and the voice which soon followed the introductory guitar riff sounded almost like that cat were dying surrounded by a bunch of tone-deaf chickens.

However, despite the deplorable quality of the music, instead of blanching in acute distaste, as most others would have, Kaitoia was utterly fascinated, as was Melisande. "I can understand why you wanted to listen to this." Said Melisande, "Who is this? This has got to be some of the worst music that I have ever heard."

"He's a fairly new artist. He's only released a few singles so far, but those he has have climbed to the top of the singles chart in record time. He's coming out with his new album next month. He's called Music Man."

"Music Man?" said Melisande, "What kind of name is that?"

"Probably a stage name." said Kaitoia, "Most pop performers on this planet have them. Look on the bright side. Music Man isn't exactly original or catchy, but it could be worse. There is that one named Lady Gogo after all."

"Lady Gaga, Mistress." Said Seren, "But quite honestly, isn't any comparison between the two of them unfair? At least, this Music Man doesn't pretend like he is actually making good music. He knows where his talents lie and he doesn't try to pretend to be anything else. Lady Gaga actually thinks that she can is a good singer, but she is not even good at producing bad music."

"Let us not forget that she seems to get some sort of enjoyment out of wearing clothing made of raw meat." Kaitoia shuddered, that image would probably haunt her for the rest of her life. "No self-respecting person dresses like that."

"Whereas this guy, whoa!" said Melisande, "This has got to be some of the best worst music that I have ever heard. Kaitoia, can you imagine his career on Chandos III or IV."

"Seren, download some of his songs for me. I want to analyze them later. I can only imagine what a gold mine it must be."

"You sure have a weird way of enjoying music." said Melisande, "Instead of just letting it wash over you, you sit there and pick it apart note by note, and rhythm by rhythm. Oh, by the way, we got a transmission from the ship. Apparently, the high-up people at home want more specific information on Megamind."

"Meaning what, exactly?"

"They want to know more about his personality, how he feels about humans, why he wanted to become a hero, that sort of thing. They think that since he is the only alien on earth, he'll be able to give us some idea of what the humans are like, and how they might react to alien visitors."

"And how exactly were we supposed to do that?" asked Kaitoia, "We can't just waltz in and begin asking questions like that. Megamind's not an idiot and he would catch on way to fast."

"The exact words were creative." Said Melisande, 'I think between the three of us, we've got at least a start. I have Bernard, you've got Roxanne. That could be a gold mine is we play our cards right."

"I guess you're right." said Kaitoia, "I'll see what I can learn from Roxanne. Seren, do you have any major plans today?"

"It's watching a meeting a with the governor today." Said Seren, "He and the mayor are going to be talking about improving the city's road systems. I actually think that Megamind is going to there. It might be a way for me to learn more about him as well."

"Then it seems we have the makings of a plan." Said Melisande, "It sounds like we'll be having a very interesting time over dinner."

* * *

Tabitha Davenport, head of the Doom Syndicate, was almost ready to give up. They had been going through mug shot after mug shot of criminals for the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted and not one of them had yet stood out as someone that she could use as a front for defeating Megamind. Megamind's reputation was almost legendary in that prison, since he had grown up there as a child. All of the criminals there would either be to in awe of him to even think of turning against him or, for those who had been there even longer, would be too attached to him when he was a child to want to hurt him now.

She had begun to fear that she might have to start scraping the bottom of the barrel, when a face suddenly caught her attention. "Wait, stop." The image froze, on a messy red-haired, overweight man who looked like a doped-up, moose. Granted, mg shots were never flattering to even the most beautiful of people, but he seemed almost unnaturally ugly. Still, Tabitha found herself interested. Being an expert at reading the signs of villainy, she always knew how to spot the rottenest apple in a whole barrel of spoiled fruit. "That one. Who is he?"

"Hal Stewart, I believe." Said Paul, as he checked over the notes he had gathered on the inmates of the prison. "Age: 23 years. Height: 5'4''. Weight-"

"Why does he look familiar?"

"Because, about three months ago, he was responsible for leveling Metro City to the ground. He was endowed with superpowers, much like Metro Man, only instead of using them for good, he used them for evil. His name then was Titan. Megamind defeated him."

"Titan." Repeated Tabitha, thoughtfully. She continued to study the image intently. "So, that's the one who made Megamind turn hero. Quite an accomplishment. What more do you have on him?"

"He's currently serving a sentence in Metro City's Prison for the Criminally Gifted. Before that, there were no charges ever brought against him. However, according to some sources I've come across, he was something of stalker, especially to Roxanne Ritchi."

"Roxanne Ritchi? Megamind's girlfriend?"

"Yes, apparently she rejected him, and that was one of the reasons why he became evil. He tried to kill her. From what I have learned, his rage was terrifying to behold."

Tabitha was silent, an idea swiftly beginning to take shape in her mind. "That seems like a reason to be evil: he lost the girl, the woman who is now Megamind's girlfriend. It seems to me, it given the chance; he would want to have his revenge, at any cost. Paul, I believe we might have found our man."

Paul stared at her, shocked. "Tabitha, with all due respect, are you crazy? This Titan isn't an ordinary villain. He had no idea of order or control. He doesn't care about the artistry of his craft. He wouldn't respect your ideas of what it means to be a villain."

"We have exhausted our options. We can't go the conventional routes in this situation because Megamind isn't a conventional hero. The link we have been missing, I just realized, it's Roxanne. He will never allow any harm to come to her. None of our villains want to risk his wrath by bringing her into their conflicts. Titan will have no such inhibitions. He can go after Roxanne, while I focus my attention on Megamind."

"Tabitha, Megamind was responsible for giving Titan his powers in the first place. He injected him with Metro Man's DNA. But, in the end, Titan turned against him. If Megamind could not control him, how do you think you could?"

"We don't need to control him, we need to unleash him. Titan seems like the kind who can be easily led. He wouldn't know that we are using him as a means to an end. I do see your point, though. I don't want anyone turning against me. I want our best people working on this. I want to know how to give Titan his powers back, but also how we make sure that he doesn't use them against us."

Paul did not know if this Tabitha's best plan, but there was no arguing with her when she used that tone of voice. So, he complied, while Tabitha continued staring at the image of Titan, thinking that perhaps things were starting to look up for her after all.

* * *

This wasn't the most exciting of chapters, but it is pretty important to the story. Also, I hope that I don't offend anyone with the Lady Gaga references. If you like her music, that's fine. I, however, really don't like her. Please read and review.

Next chapter: A covert operation to gather more detailed information begins. However. there will be unexpected consequences, when friendship begins to gorw into something more and long buried connections start to grow stronger.


	16. Information Gathering

This is the first part of a two-part chapter. They will be sort of backstory, but I think that I made it interesting. Enjoy!

Information Gathering (Part I):

When Roxanne came into work a few days after the meeting with Lady Doppler, she found Kaitlin running through the footage that they had taken of the battle. "Looking good, Kaitlin." Said Roxanne, after the two of them had exchanged their morning greeting. "The station is still running reports of the Lady Doppler incident. I think part of it is due to your exceptional eye for camera angles. I don't know how you do it. It's like you're a natural at this."

"Well, I had several good influences." Said Kaitlin, "Though I think it was more to do with your reporting style. Without you, my camera angles are nothing more than a montage of swiftly moving images edited to have some sort of vague relation."

Roxanne laughed and shook her head, as she sat down at her desk. "You are too modest for your own good, Kaitlin."

Kaitlin smiled and let the matter rest there. "By the way, I think we both got an e-mail from Ted. He wants us to do a report on Megamind."

Ted was the boss at the studio. Roxanne, however, was a little confused by this statement. "We do reports on Megamind all the time. Though, its way better than what we used to do with Metro Man. At least with Megamind, it never feels like we at the studio are doing our part to throw the city even more into a frenzy of hero worship."

"I know, but this is sort of a different thing. It's all right there in the e-mail. I think that he wants it to be some sort of personal reveal or something, trying to cast the hero of the city in a light that everyone else can relate, too."

Roxanne looked at the e-mail and sighed. "Yeah, it sort of looks that way."

Kaitlin looked at Roxanne. Underneath her disguise, Kaitoia could sense that her emotions were slightly annoyed. "Is something the matter?"

"No, it's just that I sometimes wish that Ted would quit thinking that just because I'm Megamind's boyfriend, I know all of his inside secrets. And since I must know all of his secrets, I must be able to then proclaim them to the rest of the world."

"Does that bother you?"

"I just don't want to use my relationship with Megamind to further my career. I mean, don't get me wrong, neither of us mind if we can get a little extra publicity from the fact, but we both know where the line is and we don't want to cross it. I did that once before, and I don't want to do it with someone I really care about."

"Because you used to do that with Metro Man when you were with him?" said Kaitoia, and flinched when she realized that she had said sort of the wrong thing. She had sensed it Roxanne's mind, and hadn't thought to check herself.

Fortunately, Roxanne didn't seem to notice the slip. "Metro Man and I were never a couple. He was a good guy and we were friends, but nothing more. We both knew that the only reason I posed as his girlfriend was that it could help my career and protect any other girls from being kidnapped. It didn't matter then, it does matter now."

"Well, there must be some way to do both," said Kaitoia, thoughtfully, "I think that there are a lot of things that you could tell about Megamind that would appeal to the people of Metro City without completely revealing all of his secrets. Tell you what, you can practice with me."

Roxanne was confused. "What do you mean?"

"Talk to me, tell me what you want me to know about Megamind. I think you trust me."

"I do, yeah. But surely, you have better things to do then listen to me talk about my love life."

Kaitoia smiled, wondering how Roxanne would react if she knew that the exact opposite were the case. "No, actually I don't. Ted told me that this was supposed to be our top priority."

Roxanne thought for a few minutes, trying to sort out her thoughts. She had only known Kaitlin for a few months, but already she felt comfortable with her, more comfortable then she had been with anyone else in a long time. She felt that she could trust her with the more intimate secrets of her relationship with Megamind, at least some of them.

"Well, it all started really with when he first kidnapped me. I don't really know what it was that made him make me his primary kidnapping victim. Part of it might have been that Metro Man seemed to spend more time interviewing with me than any of the other reporters. During the first few times that he kidnapped me, I was a frightened, as I think that any sane person would have been. But after about ten kidnappings, when he didn't so much as lay a hand on me, I began to realize that he wasn't interested in hurting me. After awhile, it just started to become part of the routine, and to be frank, it was the most exciting thing that happened to me."

"So, you actually enjoyed getting kidnapped?"

"Yes, I think that it annoyed him no end." said Roxanne, with a smile, "You can't imagine the number of times that he admonished me for not being frightened enough or for not screaming loud enough. Secretly, though, we both enjoyed it. I enjoyed bantering with Megamind, coming up with sarcastic remarks that off set his performance. But, he also enjoyed it, too, however much he may have tried to deny it. I think I was the only one who didn't buy completely into his constant posturing that he was the ultimate villain. I was the only who didn't treat him with something besides fear or contempt."

"From what I have read, it just seems that the mask of a villain was something that was forced upon him." said Kaitoia, who had sometimes sensed from Megamind that being a villain had not been his first choice as a life career, but having taken it up, he gave it all his worth. Megamind never seemed to do anything by halves.

"Yes, that is true. And since I was able to see him as something more, whatever it might have been, it was refreshing to him. I don't know why everyone was so afraid of him, though. I have to admit that none of his inventions ever worked. The outcomes of the battles were always decided before they even started."

"So, you were never impressed with his plans?"

Roxanne seemed to consider this for a moment. This was by far the most penetrating question. To answer it truthfully would mean that she would have to admit something that she hadn't even told Megamind. This was definitely not something that she wanted him to know. At last, she said, "Well, if you tell this to anyone, I'll personally kill you, but yes, I was impressed. All of his plans were doomed to failure, of course, but the failures themselves were so expertly crafted, in their staging, props and special effects that sometimes the subsequent rescues by Metro Man paled in comparison."

"I have to admit, I have wondered why Megamind always seemed to fail so much. I mean, he's a genius."

"Of course he is. I think that part of the reason why he failed was my fault, actually. He always insisted on telling me the minute details of his plans to destroy Metro Man and take over the city before he even attempted to put them into motion. Because of that, I was almost always able to warn Metro Man of what he was planning."

"I think that also shows how much he values your intelligence." Said Kaitoia, "Perhaps he wanted you to know how much effort he put into his schemes and be impressed by them." She couldn't say that she was very surprised. It was a Tandaren custom, amidst the males, at least, to try and impress the females that they were interested in with some special skill that they had. She spoke from experience. Kerestan had always insisted on showing her his paintings and sculptures when they had been courting.

"I never thought of it that way." Said Roxanne, thoughtfully, "That does make sense, though. And I actually kind of liked that Megamind told me about his plans. It made me feel like I had some control over the role I was playing. A regular damsel in distress was never a role I was very good at. But, of course, I never gave him any satisfaction at seeing that I was actually impressed. That would have taken the entire spark out of the game."

Kaitoia smiled at the tone of Roxanne's voice, which had changed slightly, and there was a sly smile playing across her face. In Roxanne's mind, Kaitoia could see that she was replaying the battle of wits which had occurred between her and Megamind during the latter half of the kidnappings. "So, it wasn't just the thrill of being kidnapped that made you start looking forward to seeing Megamind every week?"

Roxanne laughed, wondering idly how Kaitlin seemed so good at putting into words what she was thinking. "Yes, I did. We started to fall in love, at some point. I really couldn't name the exact moment that it happened for me. I think that I was in the middle before I had even begun. The battle of wits which we exchanged before he called Metro Man into conflicts became more seductive in nature. But, I think that it was the little things which fueled our feelings for each other. It was those little times which made me wonder if he was really so much of a super villain as he claimed to be. Sometimes, when we had to wait for awhile for Metro Man to show up, we would just sit and engage in small talk like old friends.

"There were sometimes unexpected kindnesses which he showed to me. He never abducted me when I was sick. In fact, he once ordered Minion to take me home when I sneezed three times in the course of an hour. Once, when my mom and dad were injured in a severe car accident, Megamind refrained from capturing me for a whole month until he was sure that I would be up to it again."

"How did he mange to hide such actions from the public?" Kaitoia asked, "Would not kindness in a villain be noticed by the population at large?"

"He always said that he was doing it so that I would always be at my highest peak of physical and mental health, so that the dastardly things he did to me would be more devastating to me and my beloved Metro Man. That excuse started to sound hollow after awhile. However, I wasn't even really aware of these feelings, or if I was, I just dismissed them as some silly fantasy. But, every so often, I did wonder if he felt the same about me sometimes. When I got kidnapped by another villain, though, he was the one who rescued me, not Metro Man. It was really only then that I began to wonder if there were subconscious feelings on his side as well."

She proceeded to tell Kaitoia how she and Megamind had finally come to realize that they loved each other. It was all new information to Kaitoia, and it opened her eyes to aspects of Megamind and Roxanne's personalities that she hadn't seen before. It made her want to learn more, but that would have to come in time. She noticed that Roxanne mostly skipped over the parts with Hal Stewart, her cameraman turned crazed, jealous villain. However, Kaitoia saw the images of her past with him in her memories, and she could clearly feel the repulsion that his name aroused in Roxanne. Kaitoia was disgusted as well. This was the first time that she had seen the full story surrounding Hal. Among the Tandarens and the Nairians, such behaviors in either sex were severely punished. And those who committed such crimes became mere outcasts in the community and were never welcomed back.

Roxanne eventually came to the end of her story. "I think that you know the ending from there." She said.

"I don't know. It strikes me more as a beginning." Said Kaitoia, with a smile, "But I think that what you have told me is actually a great beginning for this story. If you want, I could help you write it down, maybe edit out some of the parts that you don't want the general public to know."

"Thanks. You know, talking with you about all this is really nice. It makes me feel that maybe this story might not be so bad after all."

Kaitoia, despite herself, was touched by the comment. She could sense the genuine emotion which was behind Roxanne's story. She also could see that she had run into some difficulties when it came to her relationship with Megamind. She did find the rumors in the tabloids to be irritating, but she could have withstood even that if those closest to her had been able to stand behind her. Her parents epically were leery of Megamind, and as yet, none of her family had even come out to Metro City to meet him. It made her sad, because there were times when she would have liked to talk about Megamind, but she didn't know of anyone that she could open up to. Kaitoia was glad that Roxanne trusted her. She was adamant in her own mind that she wouldn't allow herself to become attached to the humans until she learned more about them, but Roxanne was giving her species a very good reputation.

"Still, I don't think that will satisfy Ted." Said Roxanne, who was oblivious to Kaitoia's thoughts. "He's not a romantic by any stretch of the imagination. He's probably going to do something with it because it is part of Megamind's story, but I have the feeling he might want more meat and potatoes. He's going to want to know more of Megamind's back-story."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Only that there are things about Megamind's past that even I don't know. He doesn't really talk about it. I don't know how much he might want others to know about it.

"But now that Megamind is more or less in the public eye all the time, I think that not all of secrets could be secrets for long." Said Kaitoia, "There is only so long that some things can be hidden. And if it ever comes to that, I think that it might be best if you were the one to learn those secrets and craft them in such a way that it wouldn't hurt him."

Roxanne thought about this. "You're right. And I also don't think that he'll mind having some parts of his story told. He really likes being in the spotlight, you know. I think a good way to go about this would be to try and interview Megamind a couple times. We have time to work on this, and we can use that time to edit and shape the story. I can tell Megamind what's going on, and he can decide what he wants to tell us." She hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "And would you mind coming along when I do the interviews?"

"Me?" said Kaitoia, who was surprised at the question, "Why would you want me there?"

"Well, it's just that I think I might be biased, I may not know what to leave out and what to put in." She lowered her voice and said, with a smirk, "Plus, I think it might be good to have some backup. I have tried to interview Megamind a few times in the Lair, but well, we always get sidetracked by, other things."

"Oh, I see." said Kaitoia, returning the smile, "You want a chaperone."

"Well, not a chaperone exactly." Said Roxanne, "More like a third, uninterested party that I can count on to keep me businesslike." She became serious, "Plus, I've only known you for a few weeks, but I already feel like I can trust you. I know that you won't let me down."

Kaitoia, once more, was oddly touched that Roxanne would put so much confidence in her after knowing her in such a short time. In Tandaren society, matters of trust were extremely important, and it could sometimes be many years before acquaintances became friends. However, there were moments when two people instantly understood each other. Such friendships were valued and cherished among Tandarens. Kaitoia had only experienced that with Melisande, but now, she was beginning to wonder if she had found the same thing in Roxanne.

"I would be honored to come with you."

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Please read and review.

Next chapter: For all those people who like Bernard, he's going to be in the next chapter. The Hitchcock Observatory is close to opening, and Melissa needs some advice from Bernard, but also needs to know some more information about Megamind. However, fact finding, soon becomes something much more.


	17. Information Gathering II

Information Gathering (Part II):

The historic Hitchcock Observatory was only a few days from its grand opening. The workers had managed to get everything back on schedule after the incident with Destruction Worker quickly. Now, only the finishing touches remained to make the opening a triumph. The staff had moved from the Megamind Museum to their new offices in the Observatory. Such an event would have caused Bernard St. Claire to celebrate a few months before, but when the event actually happened, he actually found himself to be a little sad. He had grown used to seeing Melissa every morning, and he would miss seeing her smiling face every day.

However, he had been almost relieved when Melissa insisted that they must see each other more often even though they no longer worked in the same building. She had even invited him to the Observatory a few days before it opened so that she could give him a star tour, before all the crowds of the first few opening weeks made it difficult to fully appreciate all that the Observatory had to offer.

Melisande had partially invited him to try and see what he knew about Megamind. But, she had also invited him simply because she was finding more and more that she really enjoyed his company. She liked to think that she saw a side of Bernard that not many people got to know. However, when she saw him around the Observatory, she found that his real personality was coming through even more. As Bernard walked through the exhibits with her, his normally dull expression became more and more animated, and by the time they were half way through the tour, he was smiling, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He also talked more at one sitting then she had ever heard him do so before. She began to think that if people saw more of this Bernard, then they wouldn't think that he was so hard to like after all.

They seemed to have almost nothing in common, Melisande had been aware of that from the start, and yet, it was a surprise to her just how quickly they had managed to click. But, as they toured the Observatory together, she soon found that they did actually have one thing to share between them: a love for the cosmos. Melisande had always been fascinated by the awesome display of the night sky, from the sparkling stars, to far distant planets and meteorites. It was a love which she could see that Bernard shared, and that she heard him speak quite a good deal about.

"When I little, I always used to go out into my yard at night, lie down at the grass and just watch the stars for hours on end." He said, "Since I was homeschooled, I never had to worry about oversleeping the next morning because I stayed up late. I would try to count all the stars, which never really worked. I always lost after I had counted to 5,000."

"With me, it was always around 4,000." Said Melisande, "So you actually have me beat."

Bernard looked at her. "You used to do the same thing?"

"Oh, yes. It's one of my favorite memories of my childhood. I would not only try to count the stars, I would also see if I could find planets, and if I did, I would try to imagine what kind of life would be on them."

Bernard grinned, a rare sight that actually made him look rather attractive. "I did the same thing, too. I sometimes wondered what it would be like if somewhere in the galaxy there was a kid on another planet, watching the skies, and wondering if there others out there too."

Melissa laughed, a sound that reminded Bernard of sunshine on a summer's day, or the fall wind moving through the trees, things that were beautiful and wonderful. He really did love to hear her laugh. "You, too? Wow, we're just learning all sorts of things about each other."

It was no lie, Melisande had frequently done such a thing as Bernard had described. Of course, she had done it on another planet. However, she couldn't let this opportunity pass her by. She still had a job to do, and even if she was enjoying her time with Bernard, she knew she had to do it. Besides, this whole arrangement had been her idea. If she didn't get something out of it, it would reflect badly on her. Besides, Bernard seemed like the perfect person to ask this.

"Did you ever think what those alien cultures would be if they actually did exist?" She asked, "What do you think they would be like and how would they react to meeting humans? How do you think humans would react to meeting them?"

Bernard raised his eyebrows. "You're certainly full of existential questions tonight."

"Do you have an objection to that? Some people seem to find this whole idea of extraterrestrial life to be a waste of time."

"I'm not one of those people. I have always found the concept to be very fascinating. Trouble is, it's hard to find anyone I can talk to about it. They seem to be in the two extremes, either not believing it at all, or being paranoid to the point that they actually think that they need to prepare for an alien invasion."

"And which category do I fit into?"

"Neither. You seem to think like I do. You look at distant planets and see wonder and curiosity instead of fear like so many people do."

Melisande sensed that she had just paid her a compliment. What was more, she probably would have been one of the few who would have been able to take that statement as a compliment. Seeing as that was something which Bernard rarely did, she couldn't help but feel a little touched by the gesture.

Bernard continued. "I do believe that there is life on other planets. I mean, don't you think it's a little egotistical to think that, in the vast cosmos, with all it's stars and planets, there can't be other planets which support life besides our own? You know those questions which you just asked me, well, I have been asking them all my life. I have some theories, but I don't think that I'll have the answers in my lifetime. What do you think? Maybe with your input, we could be one step closer to finding the answers."

Melisande had to think how she could answer those questions. It was a little difficult for her to know what to say. She had always been aware of the fact that there were other species besides the Nyra. Indeed, the Tandarens and Nairians had been near neighbors ever since the beginning of both their species. War had once existed between their two cultures, but that was far in the past. Without the other, she was fairly certain that their two species would never have survived the failure of the Great Experiment.

But, she did finally come up with an answer that would be somewhat like the truth, and would still satisfy Bernard. "I always did believe in the existence of alien life, but I'm fairly certain that if we ever do encounter them, it wouldn't be anything like it's portrayed in the movies. I just can't believe that aliens from an advanced race would waste their time attacking earth for no reason."

"Now, I think that we can both agree that humans are far from perfect. An advanced race of beings might very well be offended by all the ways which we continue to mess up."

"I will concede that mankind is hardly a model society. But, if we're going at it from that direction, is any civilization perfect? Is there not always some defect that would overshadow even the greatest of achievements? It seems to me that any race who thinks that they have the right to judge another according to their own viewpoints probably isn't all that advanced either. If mankind is headed to its doom (which I don't think it is), it will do so without any outside help. But I don't think that would happen. I like to think that if an advanced alien race ever arrives on earth, it would be in a spirit of peace and exploration. Both cultures could learn from each other and be stronger because of it. I don't think it's yet impossible for mankind to learn from its mistakes or to learn to celebrate the differences in others."

Bernard had to admit that he was rather impressed. The speech was the most serious thing that he had ever heard Melisande say, but she said it with such clarity and conviction it would have been hard for even the most skeptical person to not consider the possibility of what she spoke. But, he was also amazed that she had managed to put his own views on the subject so well. "I always thought the same thing myself, but nobody before you has said it so well. I never did give much credit to those pointless alien invasion movies. However, you have to admit that it wouldn't be very logical for aliens to just come waltzing down to earth either. They would probably move with caution and want to assess humans first. Human nature is frightened of anything new, and it might take some people awhile to fully accept those who are different."

"But do you think that they would eventually?"

"Yes, I do, at least, I think most humans would."

Melisande smiled. "Be careful, Bernard, you are starting to sound like an optimist. You do have a reputation to protect, after all."

Bernard actually managed another lop-sided smile. "I am normally a cynical person, but that doesn't mean that I can't think the best of someone if they give me a chance. That's part of the reason why I got along so well with Megamind. He was actually the one who made me think that if aliens exist, they aren't the monsters which everyone makes them out to be."

Melisande was surprised. "Megamind? I thought you didn't know him beyond a professional relationship."

"Oh yeah, we know each other very well. Of course, it's only been recently that we could be open about it. I actually met him back in college."

Melisande looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You're telling me that Megamind went to college?"

"Yes, he did actually go to college. Though, even I have to admit that it was a rather a strange arrangement. He was so smart that he didn't actually need to take any of the Gen Ed classes; he tested out of them all. So, he just hung around for four years and took all of the specialty classes, especially the science courses. I also was in kind of the same situation. I was able to test out of the beginner's science and astronomy classes ahead of my most of colleagues. I ended up getting partnered with Megamind in a lab, because no one else wanted to take the part. Many of the students either ignored him or quietly resented him for the fact that he was so smart. My social life was a little better then his, but I also encountered several of the same problems. I think that helped us to understand each other."

"It was very brave of you to step up and be friends with someone who was so different then everyone else." remarked Melisande, who rather liked the idea of Bernard being a good man despite the criticisms it might have brought him.

"Actually, I found that we had a lot in common. Megamind often told me that he had at last found in me a human who could equal him in terms of intellectual capacity. I finally found someone who appreciated my abilities. Our friendship stayed mostly to the hallways of the school, since Megamind normally was always carted off to prison at the end of each of his classes every day. But, over time, the two of us developed a friendship, one that ended up lasting a long time."

"It lasted even after you both graduated?"

"Yes, it did. After college, Megamind disappeared off the radar. He escaped from prison, and the first person who heard from him was me. He told me that he was embarking on his career as the world's greatest super villain, and he wanted my help. He wanted me to be his lackey. Megamind would help me in my career, and in exchange he wanted me to keep him up to date about what the rest of the outside world was doing. Being in prison half the time meant that he wasn't always up to date on research, especially when it came to dangerous or questionable pursuits. To be quite honest, I always laugh when I look on that deal now. The way that Megamind went about it, it was just a friendly business deal. From what I always read in the comic books, lackeys were always people who were threatened into helping the bad guy.

"At any rate, Megamind started on his rampages of the city, while I stayed quietly in the background. Megamind always made on his promises, and always helped me in any way that he could. It was thanks to his influence, behind the scenes and pulling I know not what sort of strings, that I was able to become the head of the Metro Man Museum."

This story quite impressed Melisande. It showed her that there were depths to Bernard that not even she had thought possible. However, she had a few more questions. "I heard vague rumors circulating that Megamind actually dehydrated you, and masqueraded as you for awhile. Didn't that create any sort of resentment on your part? I mean, that was pretty much paramount to an invasion of privacy."

"Well, I have to admit, I was a little miffed about that at first. But in the end, even I had to admit that no real harm was done in the end. After all, Megamind didn't do anything to ruin my reputation, and if he hadn't borrowed my face, there wouldn't have been any chance of Roxanne ever letting Megamind close enough to actually get to know him as he truly was. Given that, I like to think that I actually helped to bring the two of them together."

Melisande had really enjoyed this little conversation, and she considered it to be a success on many counts. She had learned a great deal about Megamind, and Bernard. She didn't know which had been better. But, it also left her with this certainty: if Bernard could see potential alien interaction as a positive thing, then it gave her some hope for the future of a first contact.

However, there was also a pull on her emotions that went deeper than simple satisfaction, and one that not even she could fully understand just yet. She was beginning to want to be with Bernard not just to further the mission that she had been sent on, but also because she wanted to know more about him on his own merits.

Later that evening, Melisande and Kaitoia compared notes of their day's activities. Kaitoia told Melisande that she and Roxanne had set up a time to visit Megamind at his Lair, only she planned on showing up early to do some snooping of her own. Seren would come along as well, invisible. Melisande told her that she had gotten a lot of information out of Bernard, and that she planned to pursue the connection that she had with him, to try and learn more. Kaitoia did not bother to read her friend's mind to see if there might have been another, unconscious, motivation for Melisande's desire to spend so much time with Bernard. Perhaps it was best that she did not, for she would have found that Melisande's feelings were beginning to grow deeper than was permissible, that she was dancing with risk in becoming too involved with the humans. When the secret became known however, they would encounter a challenge that they had not expected when they came to Earth, a challenge that would put their very friendship on the line.

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Please read and review.

Next chapter: The first time that Kaitoia finds herself alone with Megamind, she begins to be fully aware of the connection that she is has with him. But awkwardness on more than one count will delay the revelation of a secret which will change her life forever.


	18. Lair of a Genius

Lair of a Genius:

Kaitoia arrived at the Lair of Megamind about one hour before she was actually supposed to have arrived with Roxanne. As she got out of the car (a transportation device that she had learned easily enough how to drive while on earth, as it resembled in principle the flying vehicles that were utilized on her home planet), she observed the structure before her. _"It doesn't appear that this structure could handle all the abuse that a supposedly evil super villain turned hero would impose upon it." _She remarked to Seren, who was wrapped around her waist, one head resting on her shoulder, with the invisibility shield already on.

"_Maybe its appearance is deceiving."_ Seren replied, _"Or maybe he strengthened the structure."_

_The question might be how to get inside without attracting attention."_ said Kaitoia.

"_Well, you could always try knocking on the door."_ Suggested Seren, sarcastically.

"_Thank you for that very unhelpful suggestion."_ Said Kaitoia, as she approached the Lair. _"I don't know where I would be without you to guide me through life's challenges."_

"_You're still going to do it though, aren't you?"_

Kaitoia rolled her eyes, but she didn't respond. Roxanne had told her that the "secret entrance" to Megamind's Lair was really easy to find, since there was a doormat in front of the holographic wall that said Secret Entrance. She indeed found the correct wall without any trouble. Tentatively, she knocked on the door, feeling somewhat foolish.

However, it turned out that Seren was right. A second after she knocked, a small beeping sound began to fill the air, and Kaitoia took a step back, looking at the wall in front of her warily, half afraid it might blow up. The next moment, the wall in front of her rippled and a door-like opening appeared inside it. Then, the fish-bowl head and robotic gorilla body of Minion came into view. He looked at her a little uncertainly, as though he was unsure who she was. "Miss Fellerman isn't it?" He ventured, at last.

"Yes, Roxanne and I were supposed to be doing an interview with Megamind. I thought you would have known it."

"Well, yes, but you are here a little early."

"I am?" said Kaitoia, affecting confusion.

"Yes, I thought that you were supposed to start an hour from now."

"Oh, were we? Well, I'm sorry. I must have heard wrong. I would hate to be an inconvenience to you. I can wait in my car."

"Oh, no, there's no reason for that. Come inside, you're here now. We might as well be hospitable."

As Minion led her into the main work area of the Lair, the sound of blaring rock music met Kaitoia's ears. She winced slightly. Minion, seeing her reaction, said, "Sorry, Sir likes his music loud. He says that it helps him think."

"How can it help him think if it also makes him go deaf?" She questioned, in slight confusion. She really couldn't stand this type of music; it was one of the more annoying facets of human culture. "Do you think he could turn it down?"

"Oh, right, yes." Said Minion, who touched a button on the wall that she believed to be connected to some sort of sound system. The music abruptly went dead, and the silence was something of a shock to her system.

"_Thank goodness that's over with."_ Said Seren, as she slithered down from Kaitoia's waist and moved away. _"I'll be around. Try to keep him distracted."_

"_Just don't get yourself noticed by knocking something over."_

Unaware of the spy who was prowling around them, Megamind, who had immediately noticed that the music was turned off, had stormed over to Minion. "Minion, how many times have I told you not to disconnect my music when I am in the middle of an important recalibration?" He might have gone one with his rant, when he saw that Kaitlin was standing there. "Oh, Miss Fellerman, is it time for the interview already?"

"I thought it was. But, I think that I must have heard the time wrong. Minion here tells me that Roxanne and I weren't supposed to start for another hour. Since he's the expert on these things, I suppose that I will have to take his word for it."

"That's true; Minion always handles my sown schedule better than I can. Well, in that case, I suppose you'll just have to wait here." He stood there awkwardly for a moment, "I'm sorry. I'm not really an expert on short talk, or whatever it is that you humans do on normal occasions."

"I believe that it's called small talk, sir, and it generally deals with topics like the weather, and other things that will not cause offence."

"Sounds a little boring, don't you think?" said Kaitlin, "I wouldn't mind talking about others things if you didn't."

"Like what?" asked Megamind, who also found the idea of short talk, or whatever it was called, rather boring the way that Minion described it.

"Well, for starters, what on earth are you building?" asked Kaitoia, looking at the two large platforms that were on opposite sides of the room.

"Oh, this is going to be one of my greatest inventions yet." Said Megamind, who loved talking about himself and his creations, and so promptly forgot about anything suspicious in Kaitlin's early appearance. "This is a transporter."

"Really? Like that Star _Tack_ show?"

"Exactly, Star _Tack. _But, this is an improved design, far superior to the one portrayed on the show."

"You forget, Sir, that the show is fictional right?" said Minion, who hadn't missed the fact that Kaitlin had also mispronounced the name of the show the exact same way that his Master had.

"Well, of course, I do, Minion, but that's beside the point. Science fiction is only a short step from science fact, and the fact of science is that the transporter in Star _Tack_ was badly designed. It would never work in a real setting. However, with only a few adjustments, it is quite possible."

With this, he launched into a rather detailed explanation of the workings of his superior transporter. Most people wouldn't have been able to keep up, but Kaitoia surprisingly had no difficulty. She was no expert on mechanics, but all Tandarens had the brain power to understand long and complex puzzles and solutions. So, understanding something as common as a transporter (common to her as an alien from another world where such things were used as often as the toaster on earth), was not a hard thing for her to do.

Plus, there was something about listening to him talk. Despite the fact that Megamind was speaking at about 90 words a minute, she caught every word and understood it. It had little to do with her telepathic abilities, though those had something to do with it. It was almost like an instinct which she had forgotten about, but which somehow felt faintly familiar.

Once Megamind had gone through his long-winded explanation of how the transporter worked, he was a little surprised when Kaitlin began to ask questions. He wasn't used to that. Normally the only person that he described his inventions to in depth was Minion. He was aware of the fact that most other people couldn't keep up with his rate of talking. Roxanne was perfectly capable of discussing such things with him, once he explained it, not that he minded. Talking with Roxanne in any fashion about anything was a joy.

But, when Kaitlin began to ask questions, he immediately could tell that she knew exactly what he was talking about. He didn't think to ask how she might have known about the inner workings of a transporter. Talking with Kaitlin, he found, was so easy, as though he had been doing it all his life. It felt as natural as breathing.

"What is the main problem with the transporter?" Kaitoia asked.

"Well, it seems to be in the moment when the data stream must go from one location to another. The molecules can become compressed into a data stream quite easily from both platforms. I've tried that several times. It's getting the data stream to actually go to a specific location is another matter. I think it's because the data stream in to delicate at the moment to sustain movement of any great distance. The algorithms that I've designed should have corrected the problem by now, but it's not working."

"Actually, the data stream itself is stable." Said Minion, "But, it always arrives in tiny little pieces. We've gone through quite a bit of apples testing that very theory."

Megamind was, once more surprised, that Kaitlin seemed to understand what they were explaining perfectly. She was nodding and had a thoughtful expression on her face. "Have you thought that maybe you are looking at this the wrong way?"

Intrigued by the question, Megamind shook his head. "What do you mean?"

"The genome map of any living thing isn't just an equation; it's a puzzle, albeit a very complex one. There is only one way to make the pieces fit. No matter how jumbled the pieces are when you first begin a puzzle, they must always go in the exact same place in order for the picture to be complete. Molecules are the same way. They can only go together in one way to make the person complete. If you approach the problem from this angle, the solution might be closer than you think."

This had never occurred to Megamind. And suddenly, it was as if a light switch had gone on inside his head. Earlier, he felt as though his brain had at last hit a road block on this problem, and that he would have to go back to the drawing back in order to find another way to make this work. But, with Kaitlin's words, his fertile brain began to work at a feverish pace. This had always happened to him, even from his earliest days as an infant. His mind suddenly latched onto something, and the ideas just seemed to pour out, sometimes faster than he had been able to manage. He had learned to control it over the years, and had harnessed the power of his brain to make the most efficient and maximum use of those ideas.

That happened now. He could immediately see in his mind all that he had to do, and without even saying something to Kaitlin, he hurried over to the computers and in the blink of an eye, was imputing information into the computers.

Kaitoia was having trouble keeping up with Megamind. The sheer amount of information that she was getting from his mind was completely overwhelming to her telepathic abilities. She quickly put up walls in her mind, but there was really nothing that she could do to keep her eyes from becoming crossed. It was hard to keep track of where Megamind was, because he seemed to move from one computer to another in the blink of an eye.

After five minutes of feeling herself utterly dizzy, Megamind suddenly stopped and turned around. "I have done it!" he said, triumphantly.

Kaitoia, still trying to recover her own mental equilibrium, was completely shocked by this announcement. "What? You mean already?"

"Yes, of course." Said Megamind, as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Kaitoia gaped; clearly she didn't have anything to say. "Don't worry, Miss Fellerman." Said Minion, reassuringly, "He's always been like this."

"Always?" said Kaitoia, "How do you even keep up?"

"I've gotten used to it." said Minion, and then lowering his voice, conspiratorially, he added, "Actually, I don't understand half the time either. But then, Sir doesn't normally want anyone to understand him. He just wants someone to listen to him, and tell him how brilliant he is."

"I can still hear you, you know." said Megamind, "Come now, Minion. Let's not waste time on idle chatter. We must see if this works."

While Megamind and Minion were putting the last finishing touches on the machine, Seren told her mistress through their telepathic link. _"He certainly must be Gifted. I barely managed to download all of what he put into these computers."_

"_I just hope that it pays off this time." _responded Kaitoia.

The final revisions done, Megamind hurried over to the main control panel and pressed the button which started the transporter. The white light began to glow around the apple which had been on the platform. It slowly began to disappear, while the platform on the opposite side of the room began to glow in its own turn. The apple finally disappeared in a shower of sparks. For a few breathless seconds, when the apple didn't appear on the opposite side of the room, it looked like it would be a repeat of the last two hundred failed tests. But then, the apple appeared on the platform, perfectly whole and intact.

For a moment, everyone in the room stared at the apple, utterly speechless. Then, Megamind let out a whoop of delight. "I can't believe it!" He shouted, "I actually did it!" He suddenly realized that he had an audience, and not wanting to seem like he had doubted himself all this time, he quickly amended his former statement by saying, "Of course, I _knew_ that I would succeed at some point, I just needed the proper inspiration."

"Congratulations, Sir." Said Minion, "Another successful invention that can be used for the greater benefit of mankind."

"I'm sure that it will turn out to be one of your greatest creations." Said Kaitoia, who was equally enthusiastic in her praise. True enough, her people had had transporter technology for generations. But Tandarens were always quick to recognize and praise achievements which so obviously came from the mind of a genius.

But when Megamind heard these words from Kaitlin, when he looked at her, his wild, joyful expression became softer, as though becoming aware of something for the first time. "It was you." He said, "You're the one who helped me."

"What do you mean?" asked Kaitoia.

"What you said, the words which you spoke, they were what helped me to solve this problem. I'm certain of it."

"Oh, all that about the genome structures and puzzles. They were merely random words that you happened to catch onto. That's how the mind of a genius works, or so I've been told. I had nothing to do with it."

"No, no, that's not it at all." said Megamind, vehemently. He went over to her, and impulsively took her hands in his own, and leaned closer to her, studying her face intently. "You knew exactly what I needed. Somehow, you sensed the exact trouble I was having, and then you said the words that you knew I needed hear. Believe me, I know about random chances, and this wasn't one of them. You understood me and what I was trying to do. No one has ever inspired me like that before."

Kaitoia would have tried to deny this, since it came disturbingly close to how she had actually helped Megamind. However, she found that she could not say a thing. She just found herself staring at Megamind as intently as he was her. In that moment, which felt like an eternity, they found themselves replaying what they had felt during the last hour. What had started as an unconscious reaction on both their parts, now began to take on a more serious character in their minds.

Kaitoia remembered how she had been able to so easily understand Megamind's words, the way that she had been able to so quickly pick up on his moods, and help him. She had only felt like that in the presence of her immediate family. That had been twenty-eight years ago, and the sensation had faded in that time. Now, it was no more then an echo of a memory that only the strongest outside stimulus could bring back.

Megamind had been speaking the truth when he had said that no one had ever inspired him in the way that Kaitlin had. In fact, he found that he felt some sort of connection with her that he was gradually becoming aware. Not even Roxanne had moved him like this. It wasn't that this sudden understanding made his love for Roxanne any less powerful, for this was something else entirely. With Roxanne, it was like a kindred soul, someone who had become part of his very being. But Kaitlin, she spoke to something deep inside him, a part of himself that he hadn't even known existed.

These realizations were powerful, and they were impossible to ignore. However, they were also distant in meaning. Neither Kaitoia nor Megamind understood them completely, if at all. But, now that they knew they were there, it would only grow.

And if they could have ascribed any deeper meaning to them in that moment, they were prevented by an unexpected sound from the outside world. A throat clearing rather conspicuously brought them both out of their thoughts. They jumped apart, quite unaware of how close they had been standing (though it hadn't been quite close enough to kiss. It had been somewhere between that awkward place of casual friendliness and romantic desire). There stood Roxanne, watching them both with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Megamind immediately flushed a deep purple, and to his credit, realized how the scene must have looked. He hurriedly backed away from Kaitlin, now trying to desperately to avoid eye contact with her. He hurried up to her, and said, "Roxanne, right on time. You'll never guess what I was able to accomplish. I've finally gotten the transporter working. Kaitlin was helping me, and she suggested something, and it worked. I can't wait to show it to you. Maybe we can film a demonstration."

Megamind was rambling, but he really didn't know what else to do. He didn't want Roxanne to think that anything had happened. Roxanne had to admit that she was a little surprised by what she had seen, but she decided to dismiss it for the time being. Megamind seemed more excited by the fact that the transporter was finally working, then by Kaitlin's presence. It wasn't worth it to get riled up about nothing. Roxanne was determined not to fall into the trap of being a jealous girlfriend who jumped at the littlest sign of possible suspicion.

However, there was no harm in being sure. "I think that we might want to put that off until another day, Megamind. We do have a lot to cover today." She looked at Kaitlin, in slight confusion. "You are a little early, Kaitlin. When did you get here?'

Kaitlin looked at her, with an expression which mirrored her own confusion. "An hour ago, isn't that what you said?" When Roxanne shook her head, Kaitlin appeared genuinely surprised. "Oh, I could have sworn that you said an hour ago. I must have heard wrong. Don't worry, Roxanne, it won't happen again."

Roxanne was satisfied with that answer. There didn't seem to be any deception in it. Judging from what she knew of Kaitlin, she didn't strike her as the type who would be able to lie easily. She thus resolved to pay no more heed to this situation, and just put it down as a one-time thing. If only that had been the case, because that afternoon in the lair of a genius, would prove to be only the beginning.

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: No relatioship is perfect, espcially when it comes to a human an alien, espcially when their relationship used to be captor and victim. Megamind and Roxanne are about to find out when happens when secrets are kpet and conclusions are jumped to without all the facts. In the end, though, such times can make couples all the stronger. Also, a little bonus: we get to meet some of Roxanne's family.


	19. Troubles of the Heart

So, I wanted to try and explore a little bit of tension between our favorite couple. I ove fluffy stories as much as the next person, but realistically, it's a little silly that any relationship can escape times of trial. Roxanne and Megamind would be no different in my mind, and besides, they have to deal with soem issues which a lot of couples don't have to deal with. So, here's my take. I hope that you think it is believeable.

Troubles of the Heart:

Sometimes, the heart can be slow to learn. Through no fault of its own, it can become jealous at the merest innocent whisper or circumstance. Without pausing to check all of the facts, it can make decisions that are at best unwise, and at worst, just plain stupid.

The relationship between Roxanne and Megamind had its own troubles of the hart to deal with. It was true that they loved each other, and had probably been in love with each other, though unacknowledged, for many years. It was also quite clear that despite all of the challenges which they faced, they were committed to making it work.

However, theirs was also not an easy path. There were a lot of issues that had the potential to cause friction despite their best efforts. The first was obviously that one of them was an alien. The second was that for a good portion of the time that they had known each other, one of them had been a captor, the other a victim. The fact that harm had never been done or really intended was beside the point. It was not exactly the best way to start any relationship, regardless of what the outcome might have been.

Perhaps, even more complicated then all of these were the personalities of Megamind and Roxanne. Both of them were very intelligent, quick-witted and also, fairly stubborn. In sync, they worked together beautifully. At odds, and the results could be nothing short of disaster. Besides this, Megamind had grown up in a prison. It was not as bad as some might have thought, and he still thought of the place as his home. But a prison, being raised by convicts and in general being isolated from the outside world, Megamind wasn't really all that adept on picking up on social cues.

So, it is perhaps no surprise that sooner or later, Megamind and Roxanne would encounter difficulties. And the event which set it off, all stemmed from a simple misunderstanding.

It all started when Roxanne began to feel that Kaitlin seemed a little too interested in Megamind. During their times interviewing Megamind for the story, she was beginning to notice more and more time just talking together. It just seemed that as soon as Kaitlin arrived, they couldn't be pried away from each other. What's more their reactions with each other also troubled Roxanne. They laughed and chatted as if they had known each other all of their lives. Kaitlin seemed to understand everything that Megamind said, whereas she sometimes still struggled with understanding Megamind when he went into one of his technological rants. That made her just a little bit jealous, and despite all of her best efforts to remain neutral, by the end of a week of such treatment from Megamind, she had had enough.

At the end of one of her work days with Megamind, Roxanne finally confronted him with her suspicions. Once Kaitlin had left, she turned to Megamind and asked him directly, "Megamind, what is going on with you two?"

Megamind seemed surprised by this question, especially considering the tone that Roxanne was speaking in. "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. The very instant that she gets here, she starts monopolizing your attention, and prevents our getting any work done."

"Roxanne, that's an exaggeration. You've done perfectly well, and Kaitlin is not monopolizing my attention."

"Then why is it that you all do with talk with her? You enjoy her company entirely too much."

"What's that supposed to mean? Are you jealous?"

"No, of course, I'm not. I just have some objection when my boyfriend starts giving all his attention to another woman when I am sitting right next to him."

"You don't have reason to be jealous, Roxanne."

"I told you, I'm not jealous."

"Yes, you are. And I was about to say, before I was so rudely interrupted, you have no reason to be feeling that way. I have no romantic feelings for Kaitlin. She is just becoming a very good friend. And she would not be so despicable as to try and steal me away from you. She's not like that."

"Oh, so you know her well enough to say that?"

"Roxanne, I am really failing to see why this is so important to you. You're the one who has been telling me that I need to get out more and expand my social circle. Now, that I'm actually following your advice, you're telling me the opposite. You are not in charge of my life, Roxanne, and you shouldn't presume that every person I might want to be friends with has to meet with your approval."

While Megamind may have had a point, Roxanne had her own issues. "For the past week, I have been trying to put together this story about you, and for all of that time, you only ever talk to Kaitlin, about things that have nothing to do with what we're doing. You only give me half answers to questions that neither of you hear. Can you blame if I am feeling a little left out?"

From this point onward, the argument escalated and went beyond their ability to control. It ended with Roxanne storming out in high anger, and Megamind feeling by turns miffed because he saw his own logic as infallible, and also feeling terrible that he had hurt Roxanne, again. He spent the rest of the afternoon moping around, so much so that he worried Minion, who wouldn't quit nagging him until his master finally told him the entire story.

"Well, sir, it seems to me that you owe Miss Ritchi an apology."

"But, Minion she started it. She should be the one who should be coming to me."

"Sir, withal due respect, Miss Ritchi might have a point. You and Miss Fellerman seem to be spending a lot of your work time talking to each other."

"Minion, we don't mean anything by it. I just enjoy talking with her. I'm not attracted to her in the slightest. What's wrong with wanting to talk to another woman besides Roxanne? Is there some sort of law against that?"

"Sir, try to look at it from her perspective. How would you feel if you saw Roxanne talking to another man for extended periods of time, even if there was nothing romantic about it?"

Megamind thought of this for a moment. "Well, I suppose that I can see why it might be offensive to her. But Minion, the only way I would be able to make Roxanne happy is if I ignored Kaitlin, and I'm not sure that would be any better. It seems just as rude to me."

"I am sure that there is some sort of middle ground that you could find, sir. I'm sue Roxanne doesn't mean for you to go to such extremes. I just think that you need to go over and talk it over with her. If you wait for her to come to you, then she might never come. Sometimes, sir, you have to be willing to be the first one who is humble."

After a few minutes of brooding, Megamind finally sighed and got to his feet. "Minion, there are times when you're advice is incredibly difficult to accept. However, I have often found that those are the times when I should listen to it the most. So, I'll got talk to Roxanne, and see what she will say."

"That's the way to go, sir. You'll thank me later, I promise."

"Yes, and I'll blame you if it makes this worse."

Megamind had not known exactly what it was that he would say to Roxanne when he saw her next. He was still firm in his mind that this was not his fault, and that Roxanne should be the one to apologize first. However, the prospect of possibly not seeing Roxanne for an extended period scared him too much to risk it. Perhaps Minion was right; maybe talking about it with Roxanne now that she had had a chance to cool down might give them both a clearer idea of the situation. Perhaps Roxanne was missing him just as much as he was.

He was just about to knock on her apartment door, when he heard her laughing on the other side of the door. He paused. Why on earth was she laughing? She hadn't seemed very bent on laughter when she had been talking to him before. He had thought that he was the only one who could make her laugh like that.

But his puzzlement over this conundrum was nothing compared to what he heard. Megamind had incredibly sensitive hearing; it was probably the only sense in which he physically was more evolved then humans. Now, he was able to hear quite clearly Roxanne's conversation through the door, and could tell that she was talking to another person on her phone, which he presumed to be on speaker mode, and the person who she was speaking to was about man.

"I can't believe that you finally got a part, Greg." Roxanne was saying, and she sounded very excited, almost as excited as she had when Megamind had turned hero. "It's about time. You've been auditioning for five years at theaters all around the country. You're finally getting the attention that your voice deserves."

"Roxanne, I only got the part because the original bass got sick. Let's not jump to conclusions that I'm going to be singing at the Met anytime soon."

"Oh, the bass got sick? Should I be concerned about that? You didn't hire to have him taken offstage, did you?"

The guy (Greg, Megamind guessed), laughed. "Think what you, Munchkin. I am claiming complete innocence."

Roxanne laughed right along with him. "Greg, I can't wait to see you. I really need to talk to you about some things."

"Uh oh, not trouble in paradise I hope."

He heard Roxanne sigh. "Look, I don't want to talk about it right now. It's been a rough week, and I don't want to think about it."

"Well, all right, whatever you say. Heart to heart talks like this are best saved for face to face. But don't think that I'm going to let this pass. Want to have dinner and talk about it when I get there?"

"Yeah, all right, since I know that you won't let it go."

"Nope, I won't, Roxanne. And if it's who I think about, I'll be glad to take care of him, hero or no hero."

Megamind had heard enough by this point. He felt his heart pounding in his ears, and a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. He backed away from the door, as he heard Roxanne laugh and respond in words that he couldn't hear exactly, and that he didn't want to hear. For all he knew, perhaps Roxanne was actually encouraging him to do that, however joking it might have been.

Without knowing how he did it, Megamind managed to make it down the stairs of Roxanne's apartment and into his invisible car. It was only there that his mind was finally able to come to grips with what he had heard. Megamind had never really learned that it was wrong to eavesdrop. After all, growing up in a prison with a bunch of hardened criminals wasn't exactly the best place to learn the rules of society. He was doing better, but he still had much to learn.

Therefore, he really didn't know that sometimes people say things when they think that they are alone, that shouldn't be taken seriously. Megamind, who thought that Roxanne was the most honest person he had ever met, sometimes took Roxanne a little too literally. So, he was apt to take everything that he had just heard as though Roxanne had actually meant it. The thing that was really bothering him was how easily she had been conversing with the man on her speaker phone. It was just like when she was talking with him, well, maybe a little different, but close enough to make him suspicious, and perhaps a little jealous. The fact that he regretted the fight with Roxanne and that he missed her only added to the pangs of hurt that he was feeling.

Could Roxanne have another boyfriend waiting in the wings? How long had she known him? Was this Greg sensing that there was some friction between him and Roxanne and was now making a move? That idea was almost too awful for him to consider. He didn't think that Roxanne would ever betray him like that, but if this was not a secret, then why had she not told him about Greg? She had other male coworkers and friends that she enjoyed hanging out with, but he had never gotten the idea that she would have liked anyone else but him.

The more that Megamind thought about this, the more that he had gone over what he had heard, the more that his heart began to distrust him. Without meaning too, he had become jealous of Roxanne. He wanted to know what was going on, but doing that would entail telling Roxanne that he had been listening in at her door, and he didn't think that she would really like that. Besides, if this was really a rival for her affections, he doubted that she would be forthcoming.

So, Megamind made a choice that was perhaps not the wisest thing that he had ever decided to do. He decided to try and find his own answers to this puzzle, not thinking that perhaps in the long run, it would be worse for him to such a thing then confronting Roxanne with his mistake.

Sometimes, even the most devoted of relationships can become corrupted by the green-eyed monster known as jealousy. This would be a test for Roxanne and Megamind to overcome. But only time would tell if this made them stronger as a couple, or if it would only tear them apart.

* * *

Gasp! Who is this mysterious guy that Roxanne is talking too? Will Megamind make a mistake? Will he and Roxanne ever speak to each other again? Well, since I don't want to keep people in too much suspense, I will say that the Greg is Roxanne's brother, who we will meet in the next chapter. Yes, Megamind will make a mistake. And, fo course he and Roxanne will make up. However, in order to see how this all pans out, you will have to wait for the next chapter. Please read and review.

One last announcement, I will be starting college full time this week, so updates may not be as frequent as I would like. Don't worry, I will still be updating, as I will need something to maintain my sanity in the midst of exams and homework.

Next chapter: We meet a member of Roxanne's family, who is looking forward to meeting Megamind himself. However, a small mishap in a resturant will lead to some awkward misunderstandings that all parties will have a little difficulty explaining.


	20. Meet the Family

Meet the Family:

Roxanne had not been looking forward to work that weekend, because of the argument that she had had with Megamind. She had inwardly hoped that Megamind would call her or visit or something, anything to let her know that he was at least thinking about what she had said. But she hadn't heard a peep from him. Well, if he wanted to be stubborn and give her the silent treatment, than she would give as good as she got.

Therefore, she came into work slightly irate, and intending to not get along with Kaitlin. She knew that it wasn't logical, and that in all likelihood Kaitlin was unaware of the rift that she had caused between her and Megamind. Indeed, the logical part of her mind said that this was all very childish and she should be doing something about it. However, resentment can be a very strong emotion, and Roxanne wasn't yet ready to acknowledge the need for a compromise in any relationship.

However, she received a surprise when she arrived at work. When she sat down at the desk which she shared with Kaitlin, she heard say, "Roxanne, I think I need to apologize."

Roxanne looked up at her, her face clearly showing shock. "What?"

"I think that an apology in order from me, about the way that I have been behaving with Megamind while you're present."

Roxanne blinked, still unable to comprehend where this had come from. "Kaitlin, what are you talking about?"

What Roxanne didn't know was that Kaitoia had been picking up some resentment from Roxanne during their interviews with Megamind, but it wasn't until she had heard Roxanne coming into work that day and picked up on her memories of the fight with Megamind that she had understood what those feelings meant. She realized now that she had perhaps gone a step to far with Megamind, at least by human standards. Platonic friendships between the male and female sexes were quite common in Tandaren society. But there seemed to be some sort of stigma attached to them among humans. Men and women tended to socialize with their own sex more readily than mixing. She didn't really understand that, but she also respected human custom. She also respected Roxanne's friendship, and she would hate to lose it over something like this. After all, it was imperative to her research.

"I think that I may have somehow overstepped some boundaries in my interactions with Megamind. I never intended to hurt you, at all. And I would like to know if there is anything that I can do to fix things."

Roxanne was so surprised that for a moment, she didn't know what to say. She hadn't expected this, at all. She hadn't known if Kaitlin was even aware of what she was doing with Megamind and if she had been trying to flirt with him, then she probably wouldn't have said anything like this. Roxanne began to wonder if she had perhaps judged her fellow worker too severely in this case. She still wasn't ready to forgive Megamind, but perhaps she could make sure that she didn't ruin another person's life because of her relationship trouble.

"Look, Kaitlin, I appreciate this. And, well, I am just going to ask this point blank, because I need to be sure. Are you at all attracted to Megamind?"

Kaitlin immediately drew back, and a look of distaste crossed her face. "No, of course not, absolutely and without a doubt no." She collected herself and proceeded in a slightly calmer manner. "Well, what I mean to say is that I am glad that you and Megamind seem happy together, but I could never handle someone like Megamind. He is so…." She paused, searching for the right word, "confusing in his habits that I would go crazy if I were ever to consider someone like him. No, Roxanne, I may safely promise you that I do not feel anything for Megamind."

"I'm not going to lie, Kaitlin. I have sort of been noticing that you and Megamind seem to chat up a storm when you're together. But, if you aren't attracted to him, why are you so drawn to his presence?"

Here Kaitlin hesitated, and a look of pain crossed her violet eyes. At last, she said, somewhat haltingly, "Roxanne, I don't have any family left. I lost my father, mother and brother in a terrible accident when I was only a child. I cannot say how, but when I talk with Megamind, I almost feel like some part of my family is back with me again, that maybe somehow my brother could have grown up to be like him." She shook her head. "I'm sorry I can't explain it more than that. It may sound silly, but I promise you, it's the truth."

Roxanne, despite her expectation, was touched. Kaitlin was clearly not lying, and Roxanne, having spent so many years in front of the camera, was pretty good at spotting a false performance. She reached out, and put a tentative hand over Kaitlin's own. "Look, maybe if anyone is apologizing, it should be me. I really didn't have any right to suspect you in anything. Let's just forget that this ever happened, all right."

Kaitlin managed a smile and said, "Thank you, Roxanne. I really appreciate that. I promise that I will try harder in the future to not behave towards Megamind in a way that might cause you pain. And please tell me if I am." She paused for a moment, and then asked, "What are you going to do about Megamind?"

Roxanne sighed. "Look, don't worry about him. He's my problem."

"All right, if you want that. But, I hope that you sort things out soon."

Roxanne decided to change the subject. She still wasn't in the mood to talk about her problems with Megamind, even if she was willing to forgive Kaitlin. "Hey, just so you know I have to leave early this afternoon. I'm picking up my brother from the airport."

"Your brother?" said Kaitlin, apparently picking up on the fact that Roxanne wanted to talk about other things. "I didn't know that you had a brother."

"Oh, yeah. I've got four of them."

Kaitlin's mouth dropped open and her eyes grew wide. "Four? You have four brothers? Your parents actually had five children?"

"Yeah, what's so weird about that?"

What was weird about it from Kaitoia's perspective was that Tandaren families normally only consisted of two children, one boy and one girl. The Nairians often had numerous families, but the concept was still somewhat foreign to the Tandarens. "Nothing, just where I come from, anymore than two is rare. What was it like?"

"Growing up with four brothers, and me being the only girl? It was a struggle sometimes, let me tell you. I'm the youngest of the bunch, and sometimes they ganged up on me. I learned at an early age how to take care of myself. But, at the same time, they were all my best friends, and I can't imagine a life without them. Greg is my favorite, though. He always is the one looking out for me."

"So, is he coming down for a visit?"

"Work and a visit actually. He's an opera singer, and he got a part in the upcoming production of La Boehme that's playing down at the Schweitzer Theater."

"You must be looking forward to seeing him."

"I'm a little nervous actually. Greg will be the first of my family to meet Megamind, and with the way things are going between us, I would hate for him to get the wrong impression. I want him to like Megamind."

"So, you are mad at Megamind, but you also want your brother to like him. That seems a bit contradictory."

"I guess that's love. My mom always said it was the most confusing thing in the universe."

Kaitlin nodded. "How very true." And it was very true. Had Kaitlin been Kaitoia, and had Kaitoia been able to give Roxanne any advice, it would have been that love was not even easy across the galaxy, as she had had several situations with Kerestan that mirrored Roxanne and Megamind's dilemma. She could probably write that down as another observation that made humans and Tandarens similar. No matter what species, troubles of the heart were a universal dilemma.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Roxanne was standing outside the gates of the Metro City Airport, waiting eagerly for the appearance of her brother amidst the crowds of people who were milling around the airport and getting on and off their flights. When he finally appeared, she hurried forward and gave him a big hug. Since settling in Metro City, she hadn't seen her family but sporadically for the last three years.

Greg Ritchi was a tall, good-looking man. He, out of all Roxanne's brothers resembled her the most in terms of looks and personalities. He had floppy dark brown hair, and laughing blue eyes. Indeed, he always seemed to be cracking a joke or laughing about something. "Hey there, Munchkin." He said, with a laugh, as he returned her hug. "It's so good to see you. You're looking prettier than ever."

"Same to you, handsome." Said Roxanne, with a big grin, "Come on, let's get your luggage. You must be exhausted."

"I'll say. I had a two hour layover in the Dallas/For Worth airport, not to mention flying in those terrible storms. I'm about ready to drop, and I've got rehearsals tomorrow. I'm just glad that I don't have to pay for the hotel."

"So, does that mean that you're too tired to go out to dinner tonight?" asked Roxanne, almost uncertainly.

"No way, Roxanne. We still have that conversation to get through. I'm reserving my judgment on Megamind until I meet him, but first, I want to hear what's going on between you two."

"Oh, it's nothing." Said Roxanne, who looked a little embarrassed, "Just a fight. You know the kind that mom and dad sometimes have."

"In that case, it will probably not tear you apart forever. You just have to give both of you a chance to work it out."

"I would be able to do that if he actually came to see me." said Roxanne.

"And you haven't tried to actually do anything like that yourself first?" asked Greg, with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course not. It's his fault."

"Yeah right, sis. Whatever you say. I'm not even touching this until I can get a shower, and a change of clothes. Just drop me off at the hotel, Roxanne. I'll meet you at the restaurant, 7:00?"

"It's a date." Said Roxanne, with a grin. It was good to see her brother again.

* * *

That night, an odd scene would play out at the restaurant where Greg and Roxanne had agreed to meet. But, before they got there, two other visitors made an appearance. Megamind and Minion really hadn't intended to go out to eat that night, and truth be told, they didn't seem exactly thrilled to be there. Megamind was looking quite nervous and kept looking about him, as though expecting to find something horrible thing lurking in the corners waiting to jump out at him. Minion, on the other hand, merely seemed a little confused, and a lot more worried about the actions of his master.

"Sir, are you sure that this is the restaurant where you said Roxanne would be meeting this man?"

"Yes, Minion. I heard it quite distinctly when I saw her dropping him off at the hotel."

"I still don't think that it was a good idea for you to be following Roxanne at the airport in the invisible car, Sir. I think that Roxanne would consider that a violation of her privacy."

"Minion, I am only trying to get a look at the competition. This is the only way that I would be able to that. What was I supposed to do? Ask Roxanne was she was doing with that very attractive human that she was laughing and talking with so easily?"

"Was he really all that attractive, Sir?"

"Well, for a human, I suppose he was." Said Megamind, "He was, of course no match for me in terms of looks but still, he might be enough to turn the heads of other, emptier-headed girls."

"And Roxanne isn't an empty-headed girl. Sir, you need to talk about this with Roxanne, before something happens that you'll both regret."

"Minion, I know what I'm doing. Please, just trust me and go with this. It will be all right. I'll just confront this man when I see him and we'll get the whole story out without Roxanne knowing anything about it."

"What if Roxanne arrives before he does?"

Megamind's eyes seemed to bug out for a moment, and it was obvious he hadn't thought of this little hitch in the plan. "Just… Just be quiet and try not to raise any attention."

"All right, Sir." Said Minion, obviously despairing that he would be able to talk any sense into his master, "Whatever you say."

Megamind and Minion were seated at a back table, and tried to be as inconspicuous as they could be, but there is only so much being indiscrete that a big, blue-headed alien and an animatronic gorilla could in a crowded restaurant. The two of them could have worn disguises, but Megamind wanted to confront the stranger who was with Roxanne head on.

Only a few minutes later, the man who had been raising so much suspicion over the last week appeared.

"That's him." said Megamind, peeking out from behind the oversized menu. "Take a good look at him, Minion. Does he look he's armed?"

"Sir, this is a restaurant. I highly doubt that he would bring a side arm to a place like this."

"Well, you never know with his kind."

"Sir, you don't even know what his kind _is._"

Had Megamind and Minion not been in so busy arguing, and actually taken the time to look at the man, it might have been struck them as curious that he bore more than a strong resemblance to Roxanne just because of the way that he looked. His bearing and attitude also gave him away. The self-confidence was practically radiating off of him, and it was clear that, like his sister, Greg was used to being in front of people, and he thrived on it.

He looked around the restaurant, and not seeing Roxanne there, he shrugged and headed for the bar. However, he was just about to order a drink when he saw a strange sight, quite unlike any that he had ever seen. He knew Megamind and Minion very well by report, and he wouldn't have been able to miss them in this room. He was curious. He wondered what Megamind could be doing here. He thought, though, that if Megamind was here and Roxanne was coming, then only trouble would follow. Perhaps it would be a good idea if he just approached Megamind now, and brought to an end any awkwardness that might come about.

"Excuse me," said Greg, as he came up to the table where Megamind and Minion were sitting.

Megamind and Minion, who were still in the midst of their argument, suddenly stopped talking and turned to look at the person who had just spoken. Megamind seemed completely at a loss for words, but Minion who was getting slightly tired of this charade and was ready to get some answers said, with far more politeness than Megamind would have been able to conjure up, "Yes, is there anything we can do for you?"

"Well, I hope you won't think me to be prying, but I'm new to Metro City. Are the guy who is protecting this city, Megamind?"

"Yes," said Megamind, rather reluctantly, as he could hardly escape answering. "That would be me. What do you want?"

"I just wanted to tell you that I have heard a lot about you, from a very great source. I've wanted to meet you for awhile."

"I'm sure that you have been getting quite a lot of information from an inside source." Said Megamind, with barely concealed sarcasm, "Tell me, what exactly have you heard?"

"Oh, just that you're a gentleman, but can be extremely annoying at times. You're the greatest guy she's ever met, but you drive her to extremes of irritation at times. You can be arrogant and boastful, and speak sometimes as though you've become a computer, but yet for all her faults she wouldn't trade you for anyone."

Megamind hadn't exactly expected this recital. He had been expecting some sort of challenge or something. He hadn't expected to hear an almost word for word recital of what Roxanne often said to him to express her affections. Wasn't that what rival boyfriends did? Not that he was scared. If it came to a fight, he could easily win by dehydrating his rival. Not exactly the most honorable way, but Megamind was feeling very honorable at the moment.

But that still didn't alter the fact that this man was trying to move in on his woman, and he didn't like that. "Oh, really? Who did you hear all of that from?"

"From Roxanne Ritchi, I'm sure that you know her."

"Of course, I know her. She's _my_ girlfriend."

"Sir, calm down." whispered Minion, who could sense that his Master was rather close to losing control.

Megamind, however, was beyond listening. "Who do you think you?" He demanded, as he got to his feet, and stared straight at this interloper, "Roxanne is the most beautiful, the most intelligent woman that I have ever met. I have known her far longer than I am sure that you have, and I have more than her best interests at heart. I saved her life, and she has been good enough to not only forgive me, but also to give me her heart. What we have you could not possibly understand. What right do you have to come into our lives and just ruin everything?"

Greg, to his credit, would not afterward judge Megamind for his harsh words. He now understood what Megamind had been doing at the restaurant. Megamind thought that he was boyfriend. That was an extremely awkward, rather disgusting thought. But to speak the truth, he kind of admired his spunk for standing up to him. He could understand why Roxanne would have been attracted to him. He would have been more concerned if Megamind had been a wimp.

But he knew that he would have to drop the awkward truth at some point, so he said, "Well, with all due respect, Megamind, sir, I think that I do have a pretty good reason to be concerned for Roxanne's life. My name is Gregory Ritchi, I'm Roxanne's brother."

There was a very long and awkward pause. Megamind stood and stared slack-jawed at Greg, quite at a loss for words. Minion's mouth opened and shut, but no words came out, and though he never left his fish bowl, he did look a bit like a fish out of water. Greg really didn't say anything either, because quite frankly, there was nothing that he could say which wouldn't make the situation worse.

By the time Megamind finally found his voice, he could only repeat what Greg had said. "Brother? Roxanne's older brother?"

"Yeah, by about two years, but we're still pretty close. She's always talking about you when I call her. I don't think that she's ever been so happy, she's certainly better off with you then she was with Metro Man, not that they were ever a couple in the first place. If they were, I would have questioned my sister's taste."

Megamind was still trying to wrap his head around this while concept. Of course, he had supposed that Roxanne had a family. He had, of course known that she must have had a mother and father, and maybe a few siblings, but well, the subject had never really come up in all the time that they had been kidnapper and victim. They had restrained their topics to more general matters.

He felt a strange sense of relief. This obviously meant that Roxanne wasn't trying to break up with him in favor of someone else. But almost as soon as he felt this, he also felt the very odd sensation that he had just done an incredibly stupid thing. And, as he thought of his actions over the last few days, he knew that was the nothing less than the truth.

There is telling how long this whole rather awkward situation might have lasted, had it not been that Roxanne suddenly appeared at that moment. "Greg, hi. Sorry I'm late. I got a call from work, and that set me back. I hope that you-" She stopped abruptly, both in her stride and in the middle of her sentence. Her eyes grew wide as she stared at the scene before her. Her brother, Minion, and a very embarrassed looking Megamind. "Megamind, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I… uh… Well, I uh…" Megamind stammered, the famously verbose hero now having no idea what to say.

"What Megamind is trying to say is that I happened to run into him before you came, and we have been getting to know each other a little." Said Greg, and Megamind stared at him in shock. He was surprised that Greg was so willing to step in to defend him after the way that he had treated him.

Roxanne looked from Greg to Megamind, and back to Greg. "Oh, that is quite wonderful, I guess." She didn't look as though she believed him, but she didn't want to make a scene, she had enough of a problem with Megamind without it going public.

Minion, thankfully, also seemed to sense this. Quickly, he got to his feet, and took Megamind none too gently by the shoulder. "Yes, and it was quite nice meeting you. Unfortunately, we have to be going. Good bye Mr. Ritchi, it was wonderful meeting you."

"Yes, wonderful. Bye, Roxanne." mumbled Megamind.

As the two of them left the restaurant in an undisguised hurry, Roxanne turned a piercing glance at her brother. "Just happened to run into him, did you?"

He shrugged. "What can I say? They are kind of hard to miss."

Roxanne shook her head. "I can't say that I'm surprised. Look, why don't we have a nice dinner and you can tell me what really happened?"

"Fine by me, but just you know, sis, I think I kind of like Megamind."

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: Roxanne and Megamind finally have a long chat about things, and where their relationship stands. Expect humor and fluff galore in the next chapter, as well as a sinister portent of things that are to come.


	21. Making Up

Making Up:

Roxanne wasn't exactly surprised when she found that Megamind was waiting for her outside of her apartment. She had actually half-expected him to be there. But, that doesn't mean that she was ready to forgive him yet. In fact, she was still downright angry.

"Well, this is certainly a pleasant surprise." She said, making no attempt to hide her sarcasm.

"Is it to much hope that might be a serious statement?"

"No, it's not serious." Said Roxanne, angrily, "I think I would be justified in never wanting to talk to you again. Would you mind telling me what you were doing at the restaurant tonight? Why did you talk to my brother of all people like you did?"

Megamind's face flushed bright indigo. "Well, I heard you talking to him the other day, and I thought… well, I thought that he was or might be you're…."

Roxanne stared at Megamind in disbelief. "You thought that I was talking to a boyfriend? And you eavesdropped on my conversation? How did you even know that the restaurant would be the one where we would meet?" Roxanne shook her head. "You know what, I think I can guess, so I don't even want to know."

"Roxanne, please listen to me, I can explain everything."

"Oh, can you? I would like to see you try." She blew past Megamind, and into the apartment, slamming the door behind her. "Talk to the door, Megamind, or go home."

"Roxanne, you're not being reasonable!" Came Megamind's muffled voice from behind the door.

"I think that I have a right to not be reasonable with all the stupid schemes you've been pulling." Roxanne shouted back.

"Well, I'm not leaving until we short this out."

"That will be hard to do when you're in the hallway, and I'm certainly not letting you in."

"I'll break down the door."

"Be my guest."

A second later, Roxanne heard a loud bang. Her door shuddered violently but remained more or less intact. There then came a dull thump, and Megamind's moaning voice, "Oh, my giant blue head."

Roxanne instantly forgot all of her anger and irritation against Megamind. She suddenly remembered that it was never a wise idea to use such an inflammatory statement against her boyfriend. Nine times out of ten, he would take it literally. She hurried to the door and opened it. Megamind was lying on the floor, rocking back and forth as he held his head and moaned softly. There was a sizable purplish bump on his head that looked like it was throbbing.

Roxanne helped Megamind to his feet, and helped him into his apartment. She thought ruefully that it had been truly ridiculous to try and keep Megamind from not entering her apartment. He could pretty much make his way into anywhere if given the time. Though being welcomed wounded probably wasn't the entrance he had been hoping for, it had still worked.

She sat him down at the kitchen table, and handed him an ice pack for his head. It was only at this point, when both of them were sitting in the same room, with Roxanne still in her evening dress, and Megamind holding an ice pack to his hand, that the humor of the situation struck them, and they began to laugh. They hardly knew what they were laughing about, and if they did, they wouldn't have been able to explain it. Considering the fragility which their relationship had been on over the past few days, it was a welcome change, and it was not a bad way to start the process of making up.

At last, Roxanne managed to gain control of her laughter and said, "Seriously, Megamind, we have to talk about things."

"Yes, of course, I know that you're right." said Megamind, "But I know that I need to apologize first. I'm the one who is the most at blame here. I was the one who _eavesdrooped_ on your conversation with your brother, then I followed you like a common stalker and then I insulted your brother thinking that he was a rival in the middle of the crowded restaurant. I can't see how you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

"Megamind, my brother actually admired your spunk and it wasn't that crowded tonight. Besides, I am the one who has the most reason to be sorry. If I had actually tried to talk to you before any of this happened, it would have saved us all a lot of embarrassment. But I was listening to my own stupid pride and couldn't see anything beyond the fact that I had blown up a small thing all out of proportion."

"But I never tried to make the first move, either."

"Well, I didn't tell you that my brother was coming to visit." Roxanne suddenly stopped herself and shook her head. "Look, let's not make this a competition, or we'll never stop. Look, we're equally to blame and we're equally sorry. Let's just leave it at that."

"Right, yes, of course." Said Megamind, who was somewhat relieved that the hardest part of the conversation was over, and that he wouldn't have to grovel for Roxanne's forgiveness. Had it come to that, he would have done it, but still, there was the question of dignity. "But, we still have some matters that we need to resolve."

"I know that. Is there any particular place that you want to start?"

"Well, I think perhaps it might be best to start at the beginning: my behavior with Kaitlin. I just want to reiterate, Roxanne, that I don't have any romantic interest in Kaitlin whatsoever."

"I know, Megamind. Kaitlin told me as much herself."

"Really? She told you that?"

"Yeah, we had a discussion. She's not interested in you either, she's just had sort of a hard life, and I think that she finds comfort in talking to you."

"And I also find a great deal of enjoyment in her company. It's nice to know that people aren't afraid of me anymore. But I will no longer acknowledge her presence if that would make you feel better."

Despite herself, Roxanne laughed. "Megamind, really, there is no need to be so melodramatic. Like I said, I maybe blew it out of proportion a little. There has to be some sort of middle ground. And to be quite honest, I am glad that you are expanding your circle of friends. Maybe it would be good for you to learn some feminist aspects of life that you didn't get while growing up."

"I certainly don't intend to adopt wearing dresses and high heels if that is what you're implying."

"No, that's not what I mean, Megamind. But, there are other things that you can pick up from having female friends that you aren't romantically connected with. You might learn how to communicate with me better."

Megamind brightened. "Oh, that would be a distinct advantage. So, we're okay, then?" e questioned, a little uncertainly, "I've never really been in an experience like this before. I'm not sure what comes next."

"Well, I think that we are in a good place." said Roxanne, with a smile, "I've learned from experience that if we keep going over something like this, we'll end up blowing it all out of proportion and it will make the whole thing worse."

"You mean, you've been through this sort of thing before with a previous boyfriend?"

"Well, no. I've just seen my parents have arguments like this. In fact, my mom once told me that it's not the amount of fights that you get into with someone; it's how badly you want to make up with them that defines a successful relationship. She says that's one of the reasons why she and my dad have been together for so long."

"Oh really, how long have they been married?"

"Thirty years coming this November."

"Wow, that is quite a long time." said Megamind, "We've only been dating for two months, and already I love you more than I did when we first started. I can't imagine what it would be like in thirty years. I mean, I fully intend to find out, but I just never thought that I would be in a position where I would have to plan that far ahead."

Roxanne laughed. There was something incredibly sweet about the way that Megamind stumbled over his words when he was trying to find the right romantic thing to say. "Well, I personally look forward to experiencing each and every day with you. I'm sure that we'll have our share of fights to contend with. We're both pretty stubborn and strong-willed, but I think that we can make it work if we just keep on trusting each other, like I always trusted you not to hurt me when you were a villain."

"Of course, but don't let that get out, it would ruin my image. But, speaking of trust, I want to do something that will show you that I am worthy of your trust."

"Megamind, you don't need to do that."

"I know, but I still want to do it."

Roxanne, seeing that it would be useless to try and persuade Megamind otherwise, thought it best to indulge him. "All right, what did you want to tell me?"

"I want to tell you my name."

Roxanne stared at Megamind, somewhat confused. "Um, Megamind, I already know your name."

"Of course, you know my name. You know what I call myself for years, and what I was called while I was growing up in prison."

"Syx Blue, right. I always found those two names in different combinations during all of my research."

"But, none of those are my real name. My species has the capability of remembering things from a very early age. I remember the faces of my parents quite clearly, and I remember what they called me."

"So, what was your name?"

"It was Sujan."

"Sujan." Repeated Roxanne, getting used to the name, "I like it. Do you know what it means?"

"I don' really don't know." said Megamind, "My parents never actually got a chance to tell me. But, I assume that it must have meant something important."

"I'm sure it must have, because it's a beautiful name. Why haven't you ever told anyone what your name really is?"

Megamind shifted, looking a little uncomfortable. "Well, it's always struck me as being a very private matter. There was never anyone that I felt I could trust with it, until I met you."

Roxanne was deeply touched by this gesture. If she were the only one who had ever heard Megamind's name besides Minion, it showed her how deeply personal the secret of Megamind's name was to him. Megamind was placing a lot of trust in her, and she promised herself that she wouldn't ever betray that trust. She reached out and took Megamind's hand. "Thank you for telling me that, Megamind. I feel very honored by what you have told me. I'm sorry that I don't have anything like that to tell you in return."

"Well, you don't need to. I just felt that you had a right to know it, considering all that we have been through."

"Could I call you Sujan, when we're alone?"

"Really, you would want to do that?"

"Roxanne smiled, "Yes, I would."

"In that case, nothing would please me more."

* * *

When Megamind returned home later that night, he found that Minion was still up and about, cooking something that smelled remotely like tomato soup. "Oh, Sir." Said Minion, as he saw Megamind reentering the room in the Lair that resembled a high tech kitchen, "I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow."

Megamind stopped and looked at him, puzzled. "Why were you thinking that, Minion?"

Minion blushed, at least as much as a fish who lived in a robotic gorilla suit could blush. "Well, I just thought that you and Roxanne would be making up."

"We did."

"You did? Already? Then what are you doing back here, Sir?"

"Minion, would you please stop being so confusing and just tell me what you meant?"

"I just thought that making up might involve some more, well, I guess physical action."

Megamind still seemed confused for a moment, before his eyes widened and he spluttered, "Oh, that, that type of physicality. Making up, as in making out, I see. Well, that wasn't the case. I believe that you have been watching too many romantic comedies, Minion."

"Sorry, sir. I didn't mean to imply anything. I suppose that I don't have any idea what to expect when it comes to human mating rituals."

"Neither do I, Minion. But I think that I learned a great deal tonight."

"You did? I thought that you and Roxanne didn't-"

"We didn't. It's still far too early, Minion. I was referring to emotional comprehension of the female mind and communicating with them in light of such."

"Oh, well that has to be good, right?"

"Yes, Minion. I'm hoping."

"So, is everything all right between you and Roxanne? When we ran into her at the restaurant, she seemed fairly ready to tear your head off."

"I believe so. And she doesn't want me to give up my friendship with Kaitlin, either. So everything has worked out for the best."

"See, Sir, I told you that there was a middle ground. I'm sure that everything will work out all right between the three of you."

"Yes, Minion. I think that I have learned several valuable lessons from this whole encounter. I think that my relationship with Roxanne will be stronger in the long run because of this experience."

"Sir, I'm so glad to hear that."

Megamind stifled a yawn and said, "Now, Minion it has been rather an eventful day, and we have a big day for tomorrow. Roxanne and Kaitlin are coming over here, and hopefully we can start anew with things. Roxanne has also invited us to meet her brother, properly this time."

"I would love to do that, Sir. Sleep well."

Minion watched as his master went off to bed. He couldn't help but feel a small pang. Oh, he was very happy for his master, no mistake. It was about time that he got a little bit of happiness after the loneliness that had plagued him in his early life. But, he still had to admit that he sometimes felt a little left out when it came to Roxanne and his Master being together one on one. It sometimes made him want to have someone special in his life. It wasn't easy being a sentient fish on a planet where there were no others like him. But Minion was nothing if not optimistic, and he never allowed such thoughts to keep him down for very long. After all, his Master had found happiness after seemingly impossible odds. So, perhaps there might be a chance in the future for him to find someone who would be more special to him than any other.

* * *

I know, I have been away for awhile. But school and other assorted activities have made it hard for me to upload as much as I would like. Hopefully, the next chapter will not be so long in coming.

Next chapter: Harmony reigns once more between our favoerite couple. But, threats are waiting just around the corner. Hold on, the action hasn't even started to get hot yet.


	22. Preparations

Sorry for the delay on this chapter. School has been rather crazy the past few weeks. Hopefully, this nice long chapter will make up for it. Pay close attention in the chapter, because it contains several hints as to what might be coming in the future. Enjoy!

Preparations:

The next day, Megamind once again had another interview with Roxanne and Kaitlin. They were nearing the end of the little human relations piece and the two women would soon be putting together all of the raw footage, with Megamind's full approval, of course.

During the interview, Megamind tried very hard to pay equal attention between them, and found that he actually wasn't as hard as he had thought it would be. He also saw that Kaitlin was doing her best to include Roxanne in their conversations, taking time to ask her opinions. He was beginning to think that maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.

As they were wrapping up, Roxanne said, "Well, I think that we have all we need, Megamind. We'll be putting everything together over the next few weeks."

"There's no need to be nervous about how you'll be portrayed." Said Kaitlin, with a smile, "I'm sure that Roxanne will take the time to portray you in the best light."

"Well, she always has." Said Megamind, "Oh, Roxanne, before you go, there is something that I wanted to speak with you about."

"What?" asked Roxanne.

Megamind shifted and said, "Well, um, it's something best suited to a private audience."

"Don't worry, Megamind." Said Kaitlin, with a smile, "No need to feel like you have to drop subtle hints, I know when I am not wanted. I'll leave you two alone. Good bye Megamind. Roxanne, I'll see you tomorrow."

Kaitlin left and Megamind turned an anxious look on Roxanne. "I was all right today, wasn't I? I didn't monopolize her attention or ignore you, did I?"

Roxanne laughed. "No, Megamind. You did very well. Please, stop worrying about it."

Megamind seemed somewhat relieved. "Good, I'm glad to hear it. Now, I did want to speak with you, and while I do like Kaitlin, I just don't think that I can trust her with this sort of information yet."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, do you remember Lady Doppler?"

"Of course, I do. She would be kind of hard to forget. There hasn't been anything else from her since you ran her off, at least not on the radar."

"Exactly, I think that she has been waiting for me to make a decision. Or rather, Lydia Davenant has been waiting for me to make a decision, regarding that business proposition that she had for me."

"You mean, about going into business with her as an opponent."

"Yes, you see, I have been doing some research on her, and what she said was true. She never has killed anyone. She is very creative in her designs. Her shows are terrifying, but with almost as many safety back-ups as mine used to have. She is not interested in hurting anyone, merely to put on a good show. I was thinking, that being the case, that I would accept her offer. However, I wanted to run it by you first. I wouldn't want to do this without your approval."

"It just so happens that I have been doing a little research on her myself. A colleague of mine works at the news station in one of the cities that she normally frequents, and from what he told me, the stories are great boosts for the ratings. I would probably be lying if I said that my interests were not a little out of what it could do for me."

"Well, that's part of the reason why you enjoyed getting kidnapped so much, wasn't it?"

"I did not enjoy it."

"You did so, Roxanne. You cannot lie to me."

"Okay, maybe I enjoyed it, a little. But it was only because of Minion's hot chocolate and cookies that I enjoyed it. But let's not get off-topic. I also think that it's good for you to have a regular level of activity with a person who is your equal at staging grand spectacles. It would give you something to do with that big head of yours. I'm sure that it must be bursting with ideas."

"Oh, yes, actually, I have several plans for Lady Doppler. She has such a fascinating theme. I would love to understand how she actually manages to control the weather in an area. Maybe I could do something that would disrupt her signal, and then…" Megamind caught himself and said, "So, you wouldn't be disappointed in me or anything if I called her and said that I would like to go into business with her."

"Not at all, I think it works out for all of us. But what does Minion think?"

"Oh, he has some reservations, but he said that he was willing to give it a try. Well, I suppose that I'll go make that call right now."

"Great, remember that you and Minion are coming over tonight to meet Greg tonight."

"Of course, I haven't forgotten. I must admit that I am a little nervous." Said Megamind, "I treated him in such an abominable manner yesterday that I know how he must think of me."

"You don't actually. But, I think that you will get a better idea of him when you meet him tonight. Remember, he's the one cooking the dinner, but Minion is bringing the dessert."

"Well, I'm afraid that Minion would feel quite left out if he was to be invited to your place and he couldn't bring anything. I think he might enjoy exchanging a few recopies with Greg."

"I think that Greg would like that." said Roxanne. She kissed Megamind on the cheek and said, "See you tonight." And started to leave, but Megamind's voice made her stop.

"Roxanne, it feels good to have things back to normal between us, doesn't it?"

Roxanne smiled. "Yes, Megamind. It feels wonderful."

* * *

It turned out that Megamind and Minion were in for a lovely evening with Roxanne and Greg. Megamind had to admit that he had been a little nervous at first. He knew that he hadn't exactly made the best first impression. Plus, this was the first member of Roxanne's family that he had met. He knew from talking with her about it, that most her family had their reservations about their relationship, though she assured him it was more to do with the fact that he had been her kidnapper for almost ten years, and not the fact that he was an alien.

However, it only took a little bit of talking with Greg to see that he held no such reservations, and that he didn't bare any grudges at all. In fact, as they were starting dinner (a very fine lemon-roasted herb chicken, according to Minion's own expert opinion), he said to Megamind, "You know, Megamind, I have to admit that I admired your spunk at our first meeting."

Megamind looked surprised. "You did, really. That's odd; I thought for sure that you would resent me."

"Heck no. you thought that I was trying to move in on your girlfriend, and you stood up for yourself. Even though the whole idea of dating my own sister is rather degusting to me, I would have done the same thing in your predicament. If you hadn't done it, than I might have had more questions. I'm glad that my sister didn't start dating a wimp."

"Don't take my brother too seriously, Megamind." Said Roxanne, "You have to take everything that Greg says with a grain of salt. He had a talent for exaggeration, and sometimes I'm not even sure if he is serious."

Greg looked offended, "Hey, I never, ever, ever exaggerate. I always tell the absolute truth, no matter what."

"But that claim is in and of itself an exaggeration, Greg." Said Megamind, "So, I'm afraid that you are actually as Roxanne describes you. Though, I must say, it does show that you have wit, something that I like about humans, and which always seems to be lacking."

"Well, I'm glad that I was able to get a compliment out of the great Megamind. Roxanne here has told me of some of your exchanges back when she was a victim, or an observer, or whatever she was. You two have a priceless courtship; it was like watching a modern day Beatrice and Benedick."

"Greg, don't start making those obscure Shakespeare references, I'm sure that Megamind doesn't know what you are talking about."

"On the contrary, Roxanne." said Megamind, "I am well acquainted with all of the great Bard's works. I had read every single one of his plays before I was fifteen." Both Roxanne and Greg stared at Megamind in apparent shock. "What? Is that so very hard to believe?"

"You read all of Shakespeare's plays before you were fifteen?" said Greg, "I didn't start appreciating him until I was in college, and even I haven't read all of his plays."

"Why would you even want to read Shakespeare?" said Roxanne, "That doesn't seem like something a super villain like you would be interested in."

"Au contraire, Roxanne. Super villains are always well read in the classics, how else do you expect them to be properly witty and debonair in their plots. And as for reading them all at such a young age, Greg, it was nothing really. My brain capacity meant that I had a greater appreciation of Shakespeare's complex language and stories at an earlier age than most Earth children, and I am flattered that you think Roxanne's and mine's exchanges merited a comparison with the greatest of his couples."

"Smart and he likes Shakespeare. Take my advice Roxanne and do not let this guy get away. You might even have me beat."

"What do you mean?"

"I've always been a performer. When I was little, I always used to get in trouble just so I could get some attention. By the time I grew up, I figured why not make a career out of getting into trouble without all of the consequences? So I decided to go into theater, which is basically the same thing. I think that we have that in common, Megamind; we both turned to a sort of performance to get out negative emotion. It can be quite therapeutic."

"Well, you might have a point there, Greg. Looking back on it, I suppose that some of my schemes were more than a little theatrical."

Roxanne shot him a raised eyebrow. "A _little_ theatrical? Megamind, some of them were downright operatic in their scope."

"And besides, in these conflicts, the villains and heroes always have their roles to play. Everyone expects them to act a certain way, to say certain things. In some ways, it is the ultimate performance, with enough creativity to go a thousand different ways."

Megamind was rather interested in the way that this conversation is going. He was glad that someone in Roxanne's family might have had a little respect for his past as a super villain, which he was still rather proud of despite the fact that he was now a hero. "You seem to have a great deal of knowledge about the roles which heroes and villains play. How did you find out about this?"

Greg shrugged. "Simple logic really. When you're been in the performance world as much as I have, and especially in opera, you pick up a few things."

"If I may ask," Said Minion, "Why did you choose opera as a career?"

"Believe me, it wasn't what I dreamed of when I was ten years old. I've been singing all my life, but it took me seeing an opera when I was fifteen that truly got me into it. I went to see a production of Puccini's Tosca, and I was spellbound for two and a half hours, and if you knew me growing up, you would realize anything that got me to sit still for that long was a miracle. That was really the point which started it all. Opera, it has an effect on me that I can't describe: the soul can take flight on the power of the music, the spectacle can capture your imagination and the acting puts you in touch with the truest of human emotions." Greg shook his head and smiled, "You'll have to forgive me. I always start to wax philosophical when it comes to opera. So, anyway, I decided to take sing seriously, and for the past five years, I've been really trying to make it on the performance circuit."

"It's a lot of work." Said Roxanne, evidently very proud of her brother's accomplishments, "There's a lot of competition out there, and it can take a long time to be noticed. But he was noticed, and now he's playing Colline in La Boehme."

"You're playing a collie in La Bean?" said Megamind, with evident confusion.

"No," said Greg, "Colline is a character in the opera. I can understand that it might be a little confusing. Italian is a different language after all."

"Oh yes, of course. So, what is it about, this La Boma?"

"La Boehme." Said Greg, "Well, in a nutshell, it's about a guy and a girl who fall in love, break up, and then get back together right before she dies of consumption."

Both Minion and Megamind looked at Greg. "And this is a story?" said Minion.

"Of course, one of the oldest stories in the world, isn't it? I know, it may sound a bit threadbare, but believe me, it's anything but boring. Puccini was a master at capturing nearly every aspect of the human soul, from the joys of first love to the agonies of losing it. You know, that actually gives me a great idea. You should come to the opera tomorrow night. Roxanne is coming, and La Boehme is a great introductory opera. You would really enjoy it."

Neither Megamind nor Minion was completely convinced of this, and in fact, Megamind might have been on the point of saying that even though they would love to come, they were very busy. They were washing the invisible car that night, or rewiring some important piece of equipment, but before the words could be said, Roxanne enthusiastically seconded her brother's invitation. "Greg, that's brilliant. I should have thought of that." She turned to Megamind, "Come on, Megamind, I know that you'll have a great time."

Megamind would have been hard pressed to deny Roxanne anything. So he said, "Of course, I'll come. I can't wait."

As the evening drew to a close and Minion and Megamind were driving back to the Secret Lair in the invisible car, Minion looked at his master and said, "Sir, you said we would actually go to the opera? Are you out of your mind?"

"Well what was I supposed to do, Minion? Turn down the invitation? I can't do that. You know what human dating rituals are like when it comes to the family. I would like to at least not alienate one of Roxanne's siblings. Who knows what the consequences of that would be? Besides, I like Greg. He seems very talented."

"But, Sir, you hate opera. The last time you listened to one, you said that you had never experienced such brain-numbing tedium. And that was only for ten minutes. How are you ever going to stand it for an entire evening?"

Megamind sighed, and said in a tone of gallant suffering, as though going to an opera were an even greater danger than facing off against a super villain bent on world domination. "I don't know, Minion. But, I will find some way to carry on, and overcome the challenge. It is for Roxanne's sake, really. I would do anything for her, and if I must go to an opera to appease her, than that is what I will do."

"Well, in that case, I'm coming too, Sir. I couldn't have you suffering on your own."

Megamind smiled at his friend. "On, Minion, you fantastic fish, you."

* * *

As it turned out, Megamind and Minion were not the only ones who were preparing for a night at the opera. However, these people were looking forward to it with much more anticipation. Kaitoia, Melisande and Seren all planned on going to the opera that was playing at the Schweitzer Theater. It was apart of their research, true enough, because there was a lot that could be learned about a culture from their arts, but they were also really looking forward to it.

Kaitoia was especially curious. She had come across this phenomenon known as opera in her research, and she had read so many accounts of it as to puzzle her exceedingly. Some things she read hailed the art as the perfect and grand synthesis of every other art form on earth, while others said the exact opposite, that it was boring and impossible to understand. She wasn't inclined to believe either extreme at this point, as her logical Tandaren mind said that the true answer lay somewhere in the middle. But, there was nothing like this opera in Tandara or Nairian society. She wanted to see just what it was meant to be.

Melisande was looking forward to it herself, but not perhaps for the same reasons that Kaitoia was. It wasn't that Melisande didn't have a taste for the more classical music, but she had found rock and roll to be more to her liking. However, even Kaitoia was surprised when she found out what Melisande was most looking forward to. "You're going with Bernard St. Clair?"

"Yes, what's wrong with that?" said Melisande, a bit too defensively, "He asked and I said yes. I thought that was proper costume on this planet. Though, I must admit it was strange being asked by a man to go anywhere."

"Only because, on Chandos III, it's the Nairian females who initiate mating behavior. On Earth it is the exact opposite. And if that is Bernard's intentions, it might have been better to turn him down."

"Kaitoia, believe me, there was nothing romantic about it. It's just a friendly get together. Nothing for you to worry about."

"But, he spent money on the ticket, didn't he? I find it hard to believe that he would have spent that much if didn't have some other intention in mind."

"He didn't spend money on the ticket. He had an extra. He knows someone in the orchestra who always gives him free tickets to these sorts of things. That should give you an idea of how little interest he has in me."

Kaitoia wasn't so sure. "Melisande, you have to be careful, all the same. It could be that Bernard doesn't have any thought of romantic intentions at this moment, but you spend a lot of time with him. You've told me how close you two have become, and I'll be the first to say that any man would be lucky to have you. But, you know that we can't become emotionally entangled with these humans."

"Kaitoia, you don't think that I would do anything to put our mission, or for that matter, our lives at stake?"

"No, but as a friend, you need to be careful not to let Bernard develop any feelings for you. It would only hurt him later."

Melisande laid a hand on Kaitoia's shoulder. "I really appreciate it, and I know what you're trying to do, but don't worry. I have everything completely under control."

Kaitoia really wished that she could believe Melisande. Over the past few weeks, she had felt something growing in Melisande's mind, something that could be dangerous if it were allowed to grow too much. However, she also knew that despite all evidence to the contrary, Melisande was actually quite mature and responsible. She would know where the lines would have to be drawn. She would have to trust her friend to do that. Besides, she could tell that there was little point in pursuing the matter. Melisande would merely keep on saying what she had been saying.

She decided to change the subject. "Well, if you're certain you have that under control. It speaks well for Bernard that he is a patron of the arts. Such actions speak of an above average sensitivity and I know that you wouldn't want to be friends with someone unless they were fairly sensitive."

"You got that right. But, I'm also looking forward to this thing called opera. It sounds so strange, to have a story that is performed onstage, but instead of dialogue the characters sing. And I thought that musicals were odd, but from what Bernard has told me, there is no dialogue in these operas. All of the parts are sung."

"Yes, they are, and in a different language. Luckily they have something called supertitles which are projected over the stage so we will at least have some idea of what's going on. Though, I must admit that I am also looking forward to the personal drama off stage as well as that which will be playing onstage."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to know a little more about Greg." Said Kaitoia, "When Roxanne introduced me to him, I found that there was something very interesting in his thoughts"

"Well, that's hardly a surprise. You find Roxanne's mind to be fascinating, I can only assume that you thought the same of one of her siblings. What kinds of things did you pick up?"

"Only that he has some sort of secret, one that he hasn't even told Roxanne. He was more than a little excited about the performance, and I don't think that it was all because it was going to be his break-out role. There was someone that he was really eager to see at the performance, and I think that it will become clear tonight. I, personally, would like to try and figure out what that secret is."

* * *

In a hotel room on the outskirts of Metro City, the Syndicate and its officers had set up their headquarters. Their orders were simple: they were infiltrating the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted and extracting the one called Tighten, also known as Hal Stewart, from his incarceration.

The soldiers who had been assigned to this project had been told in no uncertain terms that failure was not an option. That was not a mere device used to encourage them to do their best. It was meant to be taken literally. There was a penalty for failure in the Syndicate, and none of them wanted to be on the receiving end of that punishment. They were determined to give more than just their best, because they would have an extra set of eyes on their back. Tabitha Davenport herself would be leading the mission. If she had come along, than they knew that it must be a very important mission, indeed.

For Tabitha, the mission was a simple one. They were planning to break into the prison tomorrow, during the gala at the Schweitzer Theater. All of the city officials would most likely be at the gala, and security in the prison would be minimal. By the time that anyone knew what was happening, they would be far away.

For the past few months, the scientists who were employed by the Syndicate had been working on ways to restore Hal's powers once he was free, but more importantly, how to take them away quickly should he show any signs of rebelling against her. She intended to make sure that Hal could not turn against her, as she was fairly certain that he would. She had had to much experience with villainy of all types to not recognize Hal's version of evil. Well, she intended to show him who the true master of evil was.

Still, he had his purposes, and she would make use of them. As she looked across the cityscape, she felt a cruel smile sliding across her mouth. She had no care for this city; she wasn't planning on conquering it, only to make its so called hero see that there were consequences to turning one's back on evil. She intended to kill him, and than leave the city to whoever wanted it after.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: A grand night at the opera, where it seems that more than a few characters are keeping secrets, and the evil that goes on when no one is looking will cause more than a little trouble in the future.


	23. A Night at the Opera

Okay, I have to admit it before anyone reads this chapter: I am an opera addict. So, I had to include a scene like this in this story. Don't worry, it's not boring, and I might even sugguest that you look up some La Boheme clips. I guarantee that it might make an opera fan out of anyone. But, this also contains a very important scene, that will set the main events of the story in motion.

A Night at the Opera:

The gala for the opening of La Boehme was the place to be in Metro City that night. All of the high society had come out, decked out in their finest clothes, glittering quite as the much as stars overhead. It was an added bonus that the hero of Metro City appeared, dressed in a smart suit, instead of his usual leather and spikes. Roxanne was with him, looking radiant in a dark purple dress, with a small necklace of diamonds at her throat. Minion, though he was not dressed in any sort of stylish clothing, for obvious reasons, yet had polished his metal suit until it gleamed.

Neither Megamind nor Minion was particularly excited about the events of that night. They were both expecting it to be a rather boring night. Megamind had consoled himself that he was making Roxanne happy, and that if he was truly desperate for something to do, he would at least be able to look at her for the rest of the night.

He was also pleasantly surprised to see that Roxanne was not the only one who he would be seeing that he knew. They soon ran into Bernard, Melissa and Kaitlin. In stark contrast to Megamind and Minion's attitudes, Kaitlin and Melissa seemed to be very excited about attending their first opera. Their seats were separate, so they soon had to part ways as the opera was about to begin.

When Megamind and Minion stepped into the auditorium of the Schweitzer Theater, they had to admit that they were quite awed. They had never been in a theater, or really any building like this for that matter. The ceiling was covered in burnt gold, and covered with intricate lattice work in the shape of flowers, sprites, and other classical motifs. The seats and curtains were made of deep red velvet. The chandeliers which soared high above the audience were glowing, the lights shimmering through the crystal. The entire atmosphere was one of romantic elegance, meant to draw the audience into another time and place.

The opera soon began, and it took only about ten minutes into the first act for Megamind and Minion to realize that all they had thought they knew about opera was, in fact, not true. Indeed, they found themselves utterly spellbound by the story and the music which they were witnessing onstage. La Boehme, or the Bohemians, as the title is translated into English started off with four poor, starving artists living in a garret in 1830's France. Megamind had a little trouble understanding how they resembled citizens of the country of Bohemia when it took place in France, and why they were singing Italian in a French story, but these petty, little things soon vanished under the sheer power of the music.

Mostly a fan of hard rock and jazz, Megamind was surprised how much the lush, but strangely simple orchestrations moved him. He laughed when the four Bohemians managed to outwit their stingy landlord who came along demanding the rent, and when Mimi and Rudolfo, the two main characters in this drama first met, he was remembered just how his heart had first beat with joy when he had realized his love for Roxanne. Granted, there weren't many similarities. Mimi and Rudolfo, in classic opera fashion, fell in love after ten minutes and one aria each. But the sheer beauty of their music made him remember what those feelings were like, and when they both let loose with the duet, O suave fancuilla, he almost felt like he could fly.

He was not the only one so moved by the magic of opera. Kaitoia had never heard anything quite like this. As her hearing was more sensitive than the humans around her, she was able to hear the slightest change of key or pitch which helped to paint the picture which the composer was trying to create for his audience. This Puccini had the gift of moving the spirit. With just a few deft strokes of orchestration, he had managed to capture the innocence and mischievousness of youth and the joy of discovering and reveling in first love.

She marveled at how the singers were able to sing for such long lengths of time without seeming to get tired or thirsty. She could only imagine the discipline and training they must have had to get their voices so strong. It seemed to her that there's was almost the equivalent of a human running a marathon.

But that was only the first act, which was intimate and lovely. The second act was even more a feast for the senses, as Puccini recreated the excitement, color and chatter of a crowd on the day before Christmas. Like a movie director aiming his camera at specific characters in a crowd, Puccini did the same thing with his music, foregrounding different, individual characters amidst the bustle of the chorus. It was unlike anything that Kaitoia had ever heard before, and it enchanted her.

The second act of La Boehme ends with an impromptu parade, as the main characters steal away from the café where they have been having dinner, leaving a rich old man with their hefty tab. It is perhaps one of the most uplifting acts in all of opera, and the applause at the end of the last note was well deserved. The loudest applause might have come from Megamind and Minion, the former doubters, who found that they couldn't wait for the last two acts to begin.

* * *

In comparison to what was happening at the Schweitzer Theater, things were relatively quiet at the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted. The guards made their regular rounds, making sure that the regulations were being followed by the inmates and that no trouble was being caused. In the cell that contained the most notorious criminal of all, there was nothing much to speak of going on. Hal Stewart had proven to be a prisoner that was particularly boring. Since he no longer had his powers, he was not a particular threat. His cowardice meant that he always followed whatever orders the guards had to the letter. However, sometimes he showed hints of strong defiance, reminding them that he had once been a dangerous criminal, and should he ever escape, he might very well prove to be so again.

Tonight, though, everything seemed normal. The prison seemed very quiet. However, it was that very quiet which was hiding the approach of a dangerous and ruthless enemy.

Like a silent shadow of death, the agents from the Syndicate swarmed the prison. With Typhoon in their lead, they were able to make short work of every obstacle in their path. Typhoon not only had the power to manipulate water, she could also call upon ice when the need arose. So she was quite able to break every lock that might have stopped their way otherwise. The officers from the Syndicate wore uniforms which made them invisible to the cameras of the Prison, and they moved so silently that the guards never knew that they were in danger before being tazed from behind. And if any of the guards looked as they were suspicious, it was Typhoon who made quick work of them, draining their bodies of precious water, and leaving them shriveled and crumpled on the floor.

So it was that the infiltration of the prison went smoothly and quietly, up until they made it to the very heart of the place, the cell of Hal Stewart. The guards were pretty much as easy here as they had been elsewhere; however, it was opening the cell which would prove to be the real challenge. It was protected by voice print, fingerprint and an eight-digit code that changed every hour.

However, Tabitha employed the most expert hackers in the business. Her agents had been able to break into the most well-fortified prisons, safes and museums in the world, and she wasn't about to let this cell stop her. Her predictions proved true. It took a little longer than normal, but the cell was finally opened.

Everything was going as planned at this point. There had as yet been no alarms raised, and there didn't seem to be anyone in the prison who knew that a break in was taking place. Unfortunately, that all went out the window the very moment that they stepped into the cell. They had forgotten to factor in one thing: Hal Stewart himself. He was apparently a light sleeper, and he was already groggily awake when Tabitha and the rest of her agents stepped into the cell.

"Hey, what's all the racket for? Can't you tell that I'm trying-" He stopped midsentence. His eyes grew wide with terror, and he let out a scream (rather high-pitched and girlish it must be admitted for a man). "AHHHH! Who are you? What do you want? What are you doing here?"

Perhaps he had good reason to be afraid of a bunch of masked vigilantes storming into his cell, masked and armed with heavy guns. But Tabitha did not have the time to explain. "Be quiet. We have come for you."

"Come from me? What did I do? I haven't done anything. They shouldn't even have locked me here. But I at least thought that I wouldn't be robbed in this prison. Help! Help! They're trying to murder me! Help!"

Being as Hal's was a high-security cell, there were multiple back-ups which could be triggered under the right circumstances. The silent penetration of Tabitha and her followers had not been enough to trip them, but when Hal started screaming, the guards who were in the control room were alerted to the fact that something was going on.

A second later, the alarms in the prison started blaring. Tabitha cursed as she heard the sounds of rapidly approaching guards. "Sedate him." She ordered the rest of her squad, "We have to get out of here before we're gunned down."

Her orders were obeyed, and one of her followers shot Hal with his stun gun, effectively cutting off his hysterical ranting, giving her some relief. She had studied the outline of the prison before coming, and she knew that going out the front door would not be impossible. The back door was their only option, and she could only hope that it was still unguarded.

They had a few minutes head start. They were still invisible to the cameras of the prison, meaning that the guards were not sure where exactly the breach was taking place. However, the guards were soon able to narrow down the location. By the time that the intruders made it to the back door of the prison, they could hear the sounds of pursuit from behind, and closing in fast.

They still had the prison yard to cross before they could truly escape. Just as they were half way to the fence, they were peppered with gun fire. Tabitha looked back only to see a dozen or so guards pouring out of the door and taking aim at them. "Keep moving." She ordered, "Take cover if you have too, but don't stop moving. When you shoot at all, shoot to kill."

A full-fledged firefight was soon underway. Though Tabitha knew that her followers would obey her orders to the death, she knew that they couldn't last long. The prison guards kept coming, and even though a few of them had been killed, her own numbers would soon dwindle under the on sight. If they were to get out of here, they would have to retreat. Tabitha knew that there was no dishonor in running. Better to run and live to fight another day, than to fall ignominiously in a fight that there was no chance of winning.

Focusing her power on the fence in front of her, she sent a blast of ice at the structure. The chain link bars snapped in half as easily as if they had been brittle twigs. Tabitha and her followers now had a getaway.

Tabitha than turned to face the guards, preparing to take them out so that her troops would have a clear run to the getaway cars. The water molecules in the air began to move and spin, faster and faster, until the coalesced into a great whirlwind of rushing water and small hailstones. The prison guards stopped their firing when they saw this, looks of shock stamped on their faces. She took advantage of their momentary surprise and hurled the whirlwind in their direction. Cries of pain rent the air as the water hit the guards shards of glass and stone. The torrent water also blinded them, preventing any who did not feel the bite of that water from shooting at all.

But they did hear the roaring of multiple engines, moving swiftly away from the prison. And when the water at last cleared, the terrible situation was all too obvious. The infamous Hal Stewart was on the loose, in the clutches of people they didn't know. And that could only lead to trouble.

* * *

It was intermission at the gala performance. The crowds were elated by the performance of the main leads, and there was especially a lot of talk going on about the amazing baritone who was playing the role of Colline.

Both Megamind and Minion were more than a little verbose in their praise of the performance. With their characteristic enthusiasm, they were using such grandiose terms such as fascinating, engrossing and uplifting.

"The two songs that Mimi and Rudolfo sang," Minion was sighing, "it was some of the romantic music that I had ever heard." Minion was something of a romantic, and he made no secret of the fact about how much such things appealed to him.

Megamind, though trying to the dignified one, couldn't stop the fact that he was grinning from ear to ear. "I can't ever remember having a more enjoyable evening in the theater."

Roxanne looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You've been to the theater?"

"Well, all right, Miss Smarty-pants, perhaps it might not be considered a _real_ theater. It was a program at the prison. The Warden thought that theater had a calming effect on the inmates, so he let them put on plays. I went to ever single one of the performances, and that's what laid the groundwork for my performance abilities, especially when it came to the role of the villain. But there were no opera performed there, and I have to say that I never thought I would enjoy coming to one so much."

"You probably thought that the art was some sort of stuck up, snooty thing that no one actually enjoyed right?" said Roxanne.

"Well, yes, I must admit that I did."

"Sometimes it might be, but real, true opera that's performed like this, with so much heart and emotion, can be understood by everyone. You just need to approach it with an open mind and you never know what it might bring. I'm glad that you're enjoying yourselves." She suddenly saw someone through the crowd. Her smile grew bigger and she waved her hand, "Hey, Kaitlin, over here."

Kaitlin saw them and came towards them. "Roxanne, it's so good to see you. Megamind, Minion, what do you think of the performance?"

"Oh, it's so beautiful." Said Minion, with a sigh.

"I had better answer for Minion or you'll never get a sentence that makes sense." Said Megamind, "We are all enjoying ourselves immensely. This is our first time at an opera."

"Really? Mine as well. I have to say that I am enjoying it too. Especially your brother, Roxanne. I had no idea that the side characters in a drama like this could be so well-drawn."

"Thank you, Kaitlin. That's one of the great things about Puccini; none of his operas are boring."

"The only thing that I am worried about is that this might effect my reputation." Said Megamind, "I mean, I think that I could learn to love this art genre, but what about all of my AC/DC CD's? I have their entire collection; I can't just auction that off. I get all my best ideas while listening to them."

"Well, sir, there is nothing saying that you can't like both of them equally." Said Minion.

This had never seemed to occur to Megamind before, and he was about to respond, when his eyes suddenly caught sight of another familiar face, but one which was totally unexpected. His mouth dropped open and he said, "Why, it can't be. What on earth is she doing here?"

"Who it is, Sir?" asked Minion.

Megamind pointed, "Over there, she is coming towards us."

All eyes turned in the direction that Megamind was pointing, and sure enough, there was Lydia Davenant, looking resplendent in a silver dress that looked absolutely breathtaking against her skin and hair color. She was all elegance and poise, quite like her normal villain stance, only this almost more natural, which only made sense, as Lydia was not acting a part here tonight.

"Ah, Megamind," said Lydia, as she came up to them, and greeted them all with a genuinely warm smile, "So wonderful seeing you and your associates here." She turned a curious eye on Kaitoia. "I don't think that we have been introduced."

"Kaitlin Fellerman," said Kaitoia, giving her hand, proud of herself that she was finally getting the hang of this particular Earth custom. "I'm Roxanne's camera woman. Who are you?"

"Oh, my name is Lydia Davenant. I am one of Megamind's business associates."

Kaitoia raised her eyebrows and dug a little deeper into Lydia's mind, although being quite discreet. What she saw there made her smile slightly. "I wasn't aware that Megamind had business associates."

Megamind had finally gotten over his surprise at the unexpected appearance of his new rival partner, and managed to say, with tolerable ease, "I have quite a few business associates, Kaitlin. They are integral to my work. However, I'm afraid that I can't go into them here, it would be a bit to complicated."

Kaitoia's smile grew wider. "I'm sure that it would."

"As a matter of face, Megamind and I have just agreed on a new contract. By the way, thank you for that, Megamind. I look forward to going into business with you. I can hardly wait for our first meeting."

Megamind smiled. "Yes, neither can I, Lydia. I have something very special planned. But, let's leave off talk of business for tonight. Why are you here? I wasn't under the impression that opera was something that someone in your line of business would enjoy."

"Oh, yes, of course." Said Lydia, "Actually, it makes perfect sense. Someone in my line of work must keep up with the latest in the arts, don't you think? Tell me, Roxanne, I noticed a Greg Ritchi in the program. Any relation to you?"

"My brother, actually."

"I must say, he is quite talented. Tell me, is he spoken for at all?"

"Not as far as I know."

"In that case, any chance you could arrange a meeting?"

Roxanne actually managed a laugh. She liked Lydia, despite her expectations but she wasn't sure if she was ready for her to meet any of her family. "I'll take great care that he never meets you, Lydia. Considering who you are, I don't think that he would stand a chance against you."

Lydia flashed a smile, but only Kaitoia was able to see the secret flare of delight that came into her mind when she heard this. She found herself smiling a little as well, as she was the only one among them who knew the full extent of what Lydia was hiding.

"You are probably right, Roxanne." said Lydia, "I don't think that he would."

The chimes sounded throughout the lobby, signaling the end of the intermission. "Well, goodbye." Said Lydia, "I must return to my seat. Wonderful to meet you, Kaitlin. I do hope that you will be seeing more of me in the future."

"I don't doubt it." said Kaitoia.

"I will call you say, sometime next week, to go over schedules." Said Lydia, to Megamind, "In the meantime, do enjoy the rest of the opera."

As they watched Lydia gliding off, Kaitoia looked at Roxanne, "She seems a rather colorful person."

"Oh, Kaitlin, if only you knew." Said Roxanne.

As Roxanne, Megamind and Minion returned to their seats, Kaitoia did the same. Seren, who was invisible and wrapped around her arm, had overheard the entire thing. _"Well, I do wonder what will happen when Roxanne finds out her brother's secret."_ Said Seren, _"I would almost like to be present to see her reaction. Can you imagine what it will be like to have a superhero and a super villain in the same family?"_

Kaitoia grinned. _"Total chaos, I believe, but of the good kind. But I do agree with you. I would like to see how surprised Roxanne will be when she finds out that she is too late to save her brother from the charms of the infamous Lady Doppler."_

* * *

La Boehme, like most operas that Puccini wrote, and like most operas in general, has a tragic ending. Despite the happiness of Rudolfo and Mimi's beginning, disease soon tears them apart, and eventually Mimi dies in Rudolfo's arms. It might perhaps be dismissed in the real world as so much pointless romantic drivel. However, elevated by the power of the music, the ending is heart rending, and only the most hardened of villains can not keep from crying.

Despite the tragic ending, the opera ended with thunderous applause, the loudest of which seemed to be coming from Megamind and Minion. The two once skeptics had been transformed in one performance to opera enthusiasts. As they came out of the theater, Roxanne couldn't help but observe. "I think that you two used more tissues than I did during the last act."

Megamind tried to be indignant at the idea that Roxanne was suggesting, but given the fact that his eyes were red and he was still sniffing, it didn't exactly work. "I was not crying, Roxanne. I merely had something in my eye."

"You had something in your eye quite a lot than." Said Roxanne.

Minion had no such qualms about the question of dignity. He was still crying, or perhaps sobbing would be the most appropriate word. "Oh, I don't think that I have ever seen anything so tragic and beautiful. Mimi's death, it's so quiet, but so moving and powerful. And the cry of grief that Rudolfo gave at the end. It just broke my heart."

"Pull yourself together, Minion." Said Megamind, though the remembrance of the last few seconds of the opera had him fighting for control as well, "After all, we are professional heroes, it wouldn't do to have our iron clad control broken so easily."

Megamind, however, was saved from another meltdown, when his phone rang. He looked at the ID, and said, "The Warden? What on Earth could he be calling me about, and at this time of night?"

"Remember, Sir, it's Hello and not Ollo."

"Of course, I know that, Minion. I have been working on it." Taking a few moments to compose himself, as it was important for his image that he always appear cool and calm under any circumstances. He didn't want to give the impression that he just spent the last hour balling his eyes. After a few moments, he felt himself sufficient to say, "Hello, Warden, what is it?"

"Megamind, thank goodness. Look, I apologize for bothering you at this late hour, but we have an emergency at the Prison."

"No need to apologize, Warden. Evil never sleeps, and therefore neither can heroism. What's the emergency?"

"I don't know how to tell you this, Megamind. It's the worst news. Hal Stewart has escaped."

Instantly, all of Megamind's former sappy sadness vanished. His eyes widened, and his blood ran cold. "What?"

"Hal Stewart escaped, or was broken out, either one. He was aided by outside forces we weren't able to identify. We haven't been able to track him. You had better get down here as soon as you can."

* * *

Please, read and review.

Next chapter: More information comes out about the mysterious escape of Hal. In the process of the beginning investigation, Megamind and Roxanne discover a shocking truth about not only Greg, but Lydia Davenport as well. And Megamind asks Bernard fi he wouldn't be willing to pay a visit to an old friend to warn him of what is going on in Metro City.


	24. Secrets

Sorry it has taken so long for this chapter. School has been really busy, and I had a little touch of the flu. Still, I hope that this makes up for it. We are really getting into the meat of the story now, and I can promise that there will be lots of twists and turns. Please, enjoy!

Secrets:  
The next day, at the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted, things were in a hubbub over the escape of Hal Stewart. It was nothing at all like when Megamind used to escape from that prison. That had just come to be an expected thing. However, this was something else entirely, and its consequences were serious for the inhabitants of Metro City. Megamind and Minion were there bright and early in the morning, investigating whatever they could about the escape. There was precious little for them to go on. The intruders had been wearing some sort of stealth suits, and all they could get on the security cameras were blurry images which told them nothing about who they might be.

Roxanne was outside reporting on the state of affairs. "As of right now, there is no definite information of Hal Stewart's whereabouts, or who might have taken him. The police and Megamind have reiterated numerous times that there is no need for panic. However, they also advise to be on the look out for anything suspicious in the city, and if Hal Stewart is seen, do not approach him, as he could very be dangerous. We will, of course, keep you updated on any new developments. This is Roxanne Ritchi, reporting live from the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted."

She motioned for Kaitlin to cut the feed. Underneath her disguise, Kaitoia had to give Roxanne a lot of credit. She was projecting an air of confidence, as though she were not nervous about the situation at all. However, underneath that professional demeanor, she could sense that Roxanne was incredibly uneasy about this whole thing, as she had every right to be. A potentially dangerous mad man who had once tried to kill her was out of prison, and there was now no way of telling if he wouldn't go after her.

"Roxanne, are you all right?" She asked her friend.

Roxanne tried to smile, but it had a worried edge to it. "Oh yes, I am. I just thought that all of this was behind me. The idea of having to face it again is, well, it's not pleasant to say the least."

"Well, I am here should you need anything at all. You just need to call me."

"Thanks, that means a lot."

Megamind and Minion appeared on the scene at this moment, and it was clear that they shared Roxanne's sense of worry. "There's nothing." Megamind griped, "Absolutely nothing that we can use. There are no clear pictures of those villains anywhere in the camera database."

"You couldn't find anything?" said Roxanne.

"No, I'm afraid not." Said Minion, "However, we did notice a lot of strange disturbances out near the back entrance. Sir tested some of the soil and found that it contained traces of frozen water, almost as if the entire back courtyard had been doused with hail. Some of the surviving witnesses said that they saw a big tornado of water coming towards them, and that's what blinded them and allowed the culprits who had Stewart to get away."

"They should have been better prepared for this," fumed Megamind, "I know every inch of the security of this building, and I know that this place is practically impregnable from the outside. How could they even get in without being stopped?"

"Megamind, this is no one's fault." Said Roxanne, "It does no good to cast blame right now."

Roxanne was one of the few people who could bring Megamind down from his soap box, so that his large mind could think through problems logically. Megamind calmed down, and said, "You're right, Roxanne. But I just don't like this whole situation. I don't like that Hal Stewart is out there and could potentially try to finish what he started. But I promise you that I will get to the bottom of this before that happens. I will find out who did this."

"I am sure that you will." Said Roxanne, with a genuine smile this time.

"If you ask me, I already have a fairly good idea of who did this: that scheming Lady Doppler. I knew that she was not as harmless as she looked, Sir. becoming your business partner was nothing more than a ruse to lure you into a false sense of security, so she could do all this."

"Minion, I will not deny that the evidence is stacked against Lady Doppler, but we mustn't jump to any hasty conclusions. We are heroes now. We can't simply go off on a rampage without any solid evidence."

Minion heaved a defeated sigh. "All right, Sir. I suppose that you're right, but I still don't feel good about this."

Kaitoia had retreated back to the news truck when she had seen Megamind and Minion coming. She now sensed that Roxanne and Megamind wanted to talk a little bit on their own. So, she said, "Hey, Minion, could you come over and help me with this?"

Minion went over to help her, and Roxanne took the opportunity to say, "I am very impressed. There was a time when I think you might have been ready to go after any person who even looked like a criminal." She looked at him closely, "Tell the truth Megamind, you don't actually think that Lydia is behind this, do you?"

"I don't _want_ her to be, Roxanne. Odd as it might be, I think I could really like her, and not just because she is a suitable opponent for my genius. It's more that I see something of myself in her."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it's difficult to explain. Looking back on all the time that I was a villain, I find that I am more aware of what I did and how I did it. I never did truly want to harm anyone, I just wanted the attention. I wanted someone to acknowledge me and what I was capable of."

"Is that why you kidnapped me?"

"Of course, I saw in you the only person who was intelligent enough to appreciate my destructive machines of mayhem."

"Thank you, I think."

"But that's not the point. The point is that being the villain was the only way I could think of to get attention. I think that Lydia is exactly the same way, only that she already has that attention, and she is more aware of who she really is outside of being a villain. Given that, I really don't see her being capable of this."

"Neither do I." Said Roxanne, "Because I think that I can see the same thing. But you are right. We don't know if Lydia is behind this, and until we do, we can't go pointing fingers." She looked over her shoulder, and seeing that Minion and Kaitlin were still occupied, she said in a lower voice, "There is one thing that has kind of been bothering me. Whoever kidnapped Hal probably is trying to reawaken Metro Man's powers."

"My thought exactly. He's rather useless without them."

"Yes, but that might mean that Wayne is also in trouble. You were able to recreate Wayne's powers by using a sample of his DNA. What happens if they try to get him for the same reason? I mean, I know that everyone thinks he's dead. But someone might have been able to find out about him all the same"

"I do think that Wayne if more than capable of taking care of himself."

"I know. But I also think that it would only be fair to give him a warning."

"You are quite right." said Megamind, who over the past few months had actually begun to build a sort of friendship with his former rival. "I will go and do it myself."

"Don't you think that might actually raise attention? After all, no one but us and Minion are supposed to know that he is still alive."

"Well, that, and his multitudes of fans, who, I am sure, know about his career change, but are perfectly happy to go along with it. You might be right, though."

"Maybe you should send Bernard. I think that he would be the best choice. He knows that Metro Man is alive, when he had needed to return those pieces when the Metro Man Museum became the Megamind Museum.

"That would probably be best. I will ask Bernard to go over in the morning."

At this point, Kaitlin and Minion had finished putting away the camera equipment. "Well, I think that we are finished here." said Kaitlin, "I'll see you tomorrow Roxanne."

"Actually, could you spend some time with me tonight?" said Roxanne, "Minion was going to cook dinner for Megamind and I, but I just want to be surrounded by friends tonight." She looked at Megamind questioningly, "I mean, if that is okay?"

"Of course," said Megamind, with complete understanding, "I can understand that another female might do you some good right now, Roxanne. And I am fairly sure that Minion can handle another mouth."

"You are right, Sir." Said Minion, "The more the merrier I always say."

* * *

Roxanne, Kaitlin, Megamind and Minion returned to Roxanne's apartment. There was not much conversation, as it was clear that both Roxanne and Megamind were still worried over this latest development in their relationship. There was nothing quite so unsettling as feeling that a ruthless enemy was watching your every move, and there was nothing that you could do to defend yourself.

Kaitoia hoped that there might be something that she could do to ease the situation. True, while she wasn't technically supposed to become overly attached to the humans on this mission, that didn't mean that she couldn't find friendship with them, or worry for their safety and comfort. There was no reason why Roxanne should be suffering this way. She didn't deserve it. This Hal Stewart was a criminal and he would have been condemned in any court amongst the Tandarens of Nairians. Because of this, she was determined to watch the situation closely, and do what she could to help.

Of course, these feelings were not at all suspected by the other three. They were all distracted by their own thoughts. And when they arrived at the apartment and stepped inside, they were soon diverted into something far more unexpected.

Minion was the first to enter the living room, and he was starting to say, "I was going to start the water boiling for spaghetti right now, sir, do you and Roxanne want-" He stopped abruptly when he came into the living room and saw who was sitting there. Instantly his face became contorted with anger and he said, in a voice that was a far cry from his normally friendly tone, "Well, look who we have here."

"Minion, what is it?" said Megamind, as he came up to stand beside Minion, along with Roxanne and Kaitoia, and they were all dumbfounded to see that none other than Lydia Davenant was sitting in the living room.

She rose to her feet and said, "Hello, Megamind, Roxanne. I hope that you will forgive me for letting myself in."

"No, I don't think that they will." Said Minion "You have got a lot of nerve showing up her after what you tried to pull down at the prison. Where's Hal Stewart?"

"Minion, please. I come in peace."

But Minion was off on a rant and would not be stopped. Now that his suspicions seemed so perfectly proved, he was not willing to listen to Lydia at the moment. "Were you planning on kidnapping Roxanne to? Well, if you were, than you'll have to go through me first, and then my Master. I can promise you, that you will find it a difficult task."

It was Kaitoia who brought an end to this potential misunderstanding before it blew out of control. She sensed that Lydia was here for a legitimate reason. "Minion, please calm down. You're not helping matters. Perhaps, we should all just sit down and actually listen to her." She drew upon her mental powers, seeking to calm all in the room with her words and tone. It was a little skill that she had learned over the years, and it came in handy for more than one occasion.

It worked. Minion took a step backwards, though he still glared rather suspiciously at Lydia, and Megamind and Roxanne also looked less than thrilled to see her. "I will listen." Said Megamind, "But there had better be a good explanation for this."

"Thank you." said Lydia, as they all sat down, Megamind sitting in such a way that he could easily defend Roxanne, and Minion in such a way so that he could protect them both. Only Kaitoia tried to keep some air of neutrality, as she sat down half way between the two groups. "First of all, you need to know that I had absolutely nothing to do with breaking this Hal Stewart character out of prison. I had no idea that he was even being held. I wouldn't have wanted to get him out even if I could. As hard as this might be for you all to believe, I am not the master criminal in the family."

Not many people might have understood that the most important part of this speech had been the final sentence. But Megamind had learned long ago that the words people spoke, and the way in which they spoke them were sometimes the most important thing to understanding them. It was why he had invested so much energy into his witticisms as a villain. Another reason was that he just enjoyed word games. However, at this moment he realized that there was something more to what Lydia had just said. "If you are not the master criminal, then who is? Do you know who did this?"

Lydia hesitated, and it seemed as though she did not know what to say. And in the end, it was not she herself who said it, but the most unexpected person of all. "What she is trying to say is that her sister, Tabitha Davenport, did it."

All heads turned to the guest bedroom, which had been rather forgotten or dismissed as empty by the rest. Roxanne, Megamind and Minion all stared in shock as Greg stepped out from where he had been hiding, and went to sit beside Lydia, putting his arm around her shoulders, in what was clearly a show of support and comfort.

For a full minute, no one could say anything. They were all shocked to find Greg in Lydia's company, and even more shocked by the clear shows of intimacy that existed between them in the way they sat and looked at each other. Only Kaitoia had suspected this turn of events, but she admirably put up a show of surprise that the equal of the others, and especially Roxanne.

"Greg, what… Where… What's going on? What are you doing with her?"

Greg managed a smile. "You make it sound like Lydia has the plague. Shouldn't it be normal for a man to want to be close to his girlfriend, well, fiancée as of two months ago?"

This was potentially a bigger shock than the seeing Greg with Lydia. "Fiancée?" cried Roxanne.

"As in to be married fiancée?" said Megamind.

"Well, what other type of fiancée is there?"

"But how?" said Roxanne, who could still hardly believe this, "How did you meet? Don't you know what she does for a living, Greg?"

"Did she kidnap you?" said Megamind, who was rather interested, despite himself, "I thought you didn't do kidnappings?"

"If you would all be quiet, I'll give you the simple facts. I met Lydia a year ago. I was singing at a benefit which she was sponsoring, and we happened to run into each other backstage. I didn't know that she was a super villain at the time, but once I found out all the facts behind it, I didn't have a problem with it. We eventually fell in love and were planning to get married, although some sources say that we are already."

"What about mom and dad? What about the rest of the family? When were you going to tell any of us about this?"

"Mom and dad know that I am dating a perfectly nice woman named Lydia, and I did mention this, sis. It was in my letter last Christmas. You did read it, didn't you?"

"Well, no. But that's beside the point. You should have told us."

"Roxanne, how could I? I couldn't tell mom and dad the whole truth, not yet anyway. There was already one super villain involved in the family, and another would be more than our parents could handle. But that was part of the reason why we both happened to come to Metro City at the same time. We were going to tell both of you about it. Considering your recent relationship, I thought that you would be able to accept it without a problem. Then, we could have gotten the rest of the family used to the idea gradually." He shook his head, "Then Tabitha had to come along and ruin everything."

"That's the second time you've mentioned that name." said Megmaind, "If she has had anything to do with this, Lydia, I need to know everything about her. It's terribly important."

"Your right." said Lydia, "You should know." she took a deep breath and began her story. "You probably noticed that mine and my sister's last names are different, that's because we both made the choice a long time ago that we didn't want to be associated with each other. I also told you that I was not the master criminal in the family, that's because Tabitha is. That's the reason why she is the head of The DOOM Syndicate."

"The what?" asked Minion.

"The DOOM Syndicate, the largest and most powerful union of super villains in the world."

"Super villains have unions?" said Roxanne.

"Well, of course. How else do you expect them to have so much money and technical support in order to pull off all of their plots? Why do you think that they're always able to escape from prison? No one can be born with extreme intellect or wealth, not at the same time at least. All super villains need support. And The DOOM Syndicate contains some of the most dangerous super villains in the business. No offence, Megamind, but they make you look like an incompetent bully. These people have no conscience, and they will kill, torture and do whatever it takes to satisfy their baser instincts. My sister is the worst of them. She is a complete sociopath, who takes pleasure in planning and carrying out plans of violence. It doesn't even matter to her if she succeeds. It's the very act of destruction and violence that she delights in.

"She was the youngest, but she would inherit The Syndicate from our father, because she had the ruthlessness and drive to achieve her goals. I was never like that. I always regarded the role of villain as a diversion, a higher calling of performance. But father always liked Tabitha's style better."

"She certainly sounds dangerous." Said Megamind, "But what quarrel does she have against me? I've never even heard of her, or this DOOM Syndicate."

"Tabitha has nothing against you personally." Said Lydia, "But she sees the world in stark black and white. You are either good or evil, there is no middle ground. I wonder sometimes if she is not hypersensitive to the idea of evil. If someone who was a proclaimed villain suddenly turns around and begins to play the hero, she seems to take it as an insult to herself. She sees you as upsetting the balance, and Tabitha will stop at nothing to make sure that the dishonor you have brought to the name of villainy and evil is avenged."

"But that's absurd." said Roxanne, "That's such a ridiculous reason to hate someone. She doesn't honestly think that she can do this by defeating Megamind, does she?"

Lydia shook her head, her eyes and face sober. "I don't think you fully understand the full seriousness of this situation, Roxanne. Tabitha does not think logically. You cannot reason her actions; all you can do is be aware of what their end result will be."

"And Tabitha doesn't want to defeat me," said Megamind, "She wants to kill me."

"As she has killed at least four other super villains turned hero in the last ten years." said Lydia, "However, nothing can ever be traced back to her. That's why she took Hal, or Tighten, or whatever his name was supposed to be. She needs someone who can do the dirty work, and then she can easily cast aside."

"If you know all of this about her, why have you never tried to stop her?" asked Megamind, "Surely you could. You have the smarts and the resources."

"Because for all of my show of being a super villain, I would be the first to admit that I don't have the heart to kill anyone. Tabitha knows this. She knows that I would never be able to hurt her in a struggle. She regards that as my greatest weakness."

"But you're her sister," said Minion, "Surely she wouldn't try to kill you in cold blood, would she?"

"Oh, she would. If ever I were to cross her." said Lydia, "You do not know her like I do. Blood ties have no bearing with her."

"If that's the case, than why on earth hasn't she tried to move against you in the past?" asked Megamind.

"Because, as long as I stay out of her way, she is willing to let me be. And even if we were never to meet face to face in a battle, she would still find other ways to break me. She knows every dirty trick in the book, the oldest being that she would hurt the people who are closest to me."

"What does that mean?" asked Roxanne, who felt that she already knew the answer, and she didn't like it.

"She means me." said Greg, quietly, "Tabitha would move against me. Just this morning, Lydia received a message saying that if she doesn't leave Metro City by dawn tomorrow, I would be killed."

"It's for his sake, that I cannot make a stand. Megamind, I'm afraid that I have to say that I will have to terminate our arrangement for the foreseeable future. And I will have to leave Metro City."

"You mean you won't help us?" said Minion, with shock, "But you're Tabitha's sister, you know all of her weaknesses. You could tell us how to defeat her."

"I don't know if I know that, Minion." Said Lydia, "I have told you all I can. The only other thing that I can do is give you this." She handed Megamind a small zip drive, "It has all the information on Tabitha and the Syndicate. It might help you, but I can't say for certain."

Megamind took the zip drive, looking closely at Lydia. "So, you're just going to run away? Like you've always done? That won't help matters at all. Tabitha will just keep pursuing you. At some point, you'll have to make a stand."

"If you were in the same position, you would be doing the same thing." said Greg, who was quick to leap to Lydia's defense.

"I'm sure that I wouldn't." said Megamind.

Lydia restrained Greg from saying anything further that he would regret. "Greg, please, this isn't helping matters." Lydia then turned to Megamind and said, with a sad smile, "I am sorry that you think that, but your opinion changes nothing. I am sorry that our partnership has to come to an end because of this event, but there is nothing I can do. In the long run, I am protecting you more by not becoming involved."

"Come on, Lydia." Said Greg, after a moment of somewhat awkward silence. "We should go. Good bye, Roxanne. I'm sorry that you had to find out this way about me and Lydia. I hope that you can forgive me one day."

Roxanne still wasn't sure what to make of all this. She was trying to wrap her mind around the fact that he brother had kept something like this from her, not to mention that he was now walking away from a fight, something that she had never known him to do. On the one hand, it was hard for her not to blame him. She was hurt at some level. But, she somehow suspected that this was a far more dangerous situation than she had ever dreamed of. It seemed that Greg's situation was more dangerous that hers had ever been. All she could do was nod.

Greg and Lydia headed for the door, but Lydia stopped and turned back. "One last warning I will give to you, Megamind. Pay special attention to any traces of water that you happen to come across from where she has struck."

"Water?" said Megamind.

"Yes, that's her power. She can conjure water from the air, freeze people in mid air; she can also suck the fluid from others, feeding off of them to enhance her power. Be careful, whatever you do, don't underestimate Tabitha. She is devious and has no scruples. She won't the play the game that you're used to. She plays by her own rules and she will break them if given the slightest chance. If you hope to defeat her, you'll have to learn to cheat."

With that, both Greg and Lydia left. The rest of them were left to contemplate the warnings which they had just heard. Despite what they might have thought of Lydia's choice to leave, they all were convinced of one thing: the true battle and the true threat were only just beginning.

* * *

Please read and review. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Hope that this makes the day all the sweeter.

Next chapter: Hal Stewart wakes up only to find that all of his wildest dreams have seemingly been granted. But, he never learned to read the fine print. The truth is, the new boss will prove to be more than a match for him, and in the end, might be the end of him.


	25. A New Boss

A New Boss:

Hal Stewart had never been what could be called a fortunate man. However, in the past few months, his situation in life had gone from just sucking big time, to being rotten. At least when he had been free, he had been free to gaze at Roxanne every day, and feed his fantasies. Now, he still had the fantasies, but he didn't have the daily fix of seeing her. There were other wrongs done to him, of course. Not only had not gotten the girl of his dreams, he hadn't gotten to be either the hero or the villain, he had earned the ridicule of the entire city, he was in prison for the foreseeable future, and to top it all off, he had never gotten his revenge against Megamind.

He had kept a running tab of all the wrongs that had been done against him, none of which had been his fault of course. He conveniently was blind to the fact that in prison he was treated far better than he deserved. He had been able to play video games and read comic books to his heart's content. He had three square meals a day; someone even cleaned his cell for him. He was basically living as close to luxury as he had ever experienced, and he never allowed himself to see it.

Occasionally, though, Hal would sit and contemplate all the ways in which his life had been ruined by that big-headed, blue freak, and ways that he could get back at him. He often wished that he could have his powers back. He knew that nothing would be able to stand against him then. He might even be able to retake the city. Boy, that would be great. He would do whatever he wanted. He would read comic books and play video games every day (apparently forgetting the fact that he already did that). Best of all, Roxanne would finally see him for how awesome he truly was. Of course, he would reject her, just like she rejected him. He would laugh at her from the arms of dozens of fan girls, while she wailed and cried.

Yes, those were delicious daydreams. They never came to anything, though. Not even Hal could fool himself into thinking that they would ever come true. He was stuck.

So, his days had settled into something of a pattern over the last few months. He hadn't expected anything to change. Until the break in of his cell had totally changed everything. He couldn't remember much, only that a bunch of masked vigilantes had burst into his cell, and then he had been knocked unconscious. He didn't know how long he had been out, but when he woke up, he was completely surprised at his surroundings.

He found himself in the lap of luxury. He was in a lavish room, with thick, deep carpets. There was also dozens of couches that were plush and comfy, the kind of couches that one could easily become lost in. Into the next room, Hal could also see a large bed that was just ripe for jumping up and down. But, best of all, there was an immense entertainment system on one side of the room, dominated by an enormous flat screen TV, surrounded by dozens of speakers, and more video games and comic books than he could count.

He could hardly believe it. Everything that he could ever possibly want was in this room, all his for the taking. Was he dreaming? Well, if he was dreaming, he was perfectly willing to go along with it for as long as it lasted.

Letting out a whoop of joy, he began tearing around the suite of rooms, jumping up and down on the bed, tearing out all of the video games and comic books to see what they were and generally making a mess of the place, not to mention a fool of himself.

Little did he even suspect that he was being watched. This room had been specially designed for Hal, but he wasn't the first to have been lured into the trap that was set by Tabitha for her victims. Tiny cameras located around the suite caught his every move and word. In a hidden room, Tabitha and Paul were watching Hal, waiting for the right moment to make their move.

As they watched his infantile rejoicing, Paul ventured to ask, "Are you sure of this Tabitha? Hal is acting more like a buffoon than a villain worthy of the name."

"Of course he is a buffoon. He's actually what I need, stupid and dispensable."

After a little bit of time had passed, Hal was surprised and perhaps a little nervous when the doors to the suite opened, and in walked a strange woman with dark brown hair, eyes that were blue as the water, and a face that seemed to have been chiseled from ice. There was also a man who had a red and white hood over this face, along with a few others who looked like guards.

Hal was slightly nervous when he saw these strange people walking into the room. He was beginning to get the feeling that this wasn't actually a dream and he might be in trouble.

However, Tabitha could be very charming when she wanted to be; it went with the territory of being a super villain. Her face was perfectly pleasant and her voice agreeable when she spoke. "So, you are the great Hal Stewart. I regret that we had to meet under these circumstances."

Hal might have been a little flattered at the fact that someone had called him great. However, he was still a little suspicious. "Who are you? What am I doing here?"

"My name is Tabitha Davenport. I am the head of the DOOM Syndicate."

"The what?" said Hal.

"Let us just say that I have a hand in many activities throughout the world, all of them have a way of being morally suspect. I also keep an eye on villains that are of interest, or have potential. I saw your exploits when you were Titan, the villain of Metro City. You so artfully managed the destruction of nearly an entire city in a short span of time. That is a feat which is hard to do for a beginner in the world of villainy."

Needless to say, all this unadulterated praise rather puffed up Hal's ego, not that that would have taken much. "It was nothing." He said, trying to sound modest and failing miserably. "I would have done a lot more if Megamind hadn't taken my powers away. I might very well have gotten to rule the city, and after that, who knows? Maybe even the world."

Tabitha had to hide her contempt at such a naïve statement. She knew that it was actually impossible for any one power to rule the entire world, which was who she had never attempted it. Nonetheless, if Hal wanted to think that, she was not about to dissuade him. That sort of blindness was exactly what she was looking for.

"That's why I broke you of prison. I am in need of your help. I believe that we can be of mutual assistance."

Hal's suspicions had been completely silenced. No doubt this Tabitha lady was an adroit and intelligent person who understood true potential when she saw it. He was quite ready to listen to anything that she said. "And just what does this mutual assistance consist of?"

"Something that I think will be quite satisfactory to both of us: nothing less than the death of Megamind. Here is the deal, I can give you back your powers, and give you a chance for revenge. All you have to do in exchange is kill Megamind."

Hal could hardly believe his ears. This woman was actually giving him the chance to finally make all of his dreams come true? "What do you have against Megamind?"

"Let's just say he has insulted my world view, and that is enough."

"Okay." Said Hal, who really had no idea what that meant. But, he was willing to go with it. "All right, you've got yourself a deal. I would do anything to get my powers back, and get back at that freak."

"There is just one thing." Said Tabitha, "You would have to follow my lead. I have the resources which you need to get within Metro City's borders and to Megamind without being stopped. Without me, you would be picked off before you got within ten miles of your goal." She leaned forward and said, in a voice that carried the slightest hint of danger. "It would be best if you did not think to cross me, for if you do, you will regret it."

Now, Hal was a little freaked out by this. However, he was so eager that he would agree to anything. There was also the thought in the back of his mind that once this woman gave him back the powers which were rightfully his, he would be able to do anything he wanted. He would play by Tabitha's rules, but only as long as it pleased him. Then, he would go his own way, and turn her in. So he agreed to follow Tabitha's lead. And the tenuous partnership began between Hal Stewart and Tabitha Davenport began. But little could Hal have known that in his new boss, he had met more than his match, and she would not hesitate to use force should the need arise.

* * *

Please read and review. I am so glad that everyone is enjoying this story. It has broke the one hundred review mark, so hurray! You guys rock. In thanks, I am pleased to announce that their is going to be a sequal to First Contact. It will pick up right where this one leaves off. I do not want to give to much away, but it will be called Brave New World, and it will involve Roxanne, Megamind and Minion moving from Earth to the stars, as they travel to the home planets of the Tandarens and the Narians. Since there is still quite a bit to go in this story, I really don't know when it will be up. But you have something to look forward to.

Next chapter: Kaitoia, Melisande and Seren receive some strange news: they may not be alone in Metro City. An undercover mission to an underground apartment will reveal something shocking, and will propel Melisande espcially into doubts about her heart that she never thought she would experience.


	26. Unexpected Surprises

This is kind of a long chapter, but it deals with some pretty important issues in the grand drama of the story that is playing out. For one thing, the visitors to Earth meet none other than Metro Man himself. Now, I know that a lot of stories on this website have sort of a negative and/or dark viewpoint of Metro Man. That's perfectly all right, but, I should warn people that I will be taking sort of a more symphathetic approach to him, and give him something of a reason for behaving the way that he did at the very beginning of the movie. I hope that it makes sense, that you still enjoy this chapter.

Unexpected Surprises:

A few days after Hal Stewart had escaped from prison, the three alien visitors would find themselves faced with a new task, but not one from any earthly counterparts, this one came from above.

Algar, the Tandaren Captain of the ship which had brought them to Earth, was their direct link from the Chandos system. It was he who passed on their reports, and from him they received any incoming messages from their home planets.

However, when he contacted Melisande, Kaitoia and Seren that day, he had news that came not from the authorities in the Chandos system, but from himself.

"Are you sure that those readings are accurate?" asked Kaitoia.

"I'm certain. We weren't able to isolate it for several days, because the human population around your area is so dense. It covered the DNA pattern from our sensors."

"But now, you're saying that you've detected Nairian life signs on this planet?" said Melisande, who was somewhere between skeptical and intrigues, "And only five minutes outside the city borders?"

"Yes. I know how unlikely it seems. The only other Nairian on this planet that we knew of before your arrival was Metro Man. but he was killed."

"Perhaps that information had been wrong." said Seren, "We have learned with Megamind to always expect the opposite of what is expected."

"Well, either way, I think it's something you should see to." Said Algar, "I've transmitted you the coordinates so that you can investigate."

"We will." Said Melisande, "If there's another Nairian on this planet, I intend to find them."

"We'll report back when we've found something." Said Kaitoia and ended the transition. "This certainly is a new development." She said, as she turned to them.

"Yes, but an exciting one. Come on, let's go."

It took them about an hour to drive to the location which was on their scanner. It took them well beyond the limits of the city, to a windswept beach along the edge of the sea. However, when they got there, they were somewhat surprised and a little perplexed. "That's it?" said Melisande, "A red building?"

Kaitoia checked her hand scanner. "It looks like there's more underneath the structure.

"Are you still picking up the life signs?" asked Seren.

"Yes, they are certainly Nairian." Said Kaitoia, "But according to my scanner, the structure underneath that building seems to extend out in several directions. I can't get an accurate reading on the exact location. "

"So, we should start looking." Said Melisande, as the three of them got out and headed for the door. Coming closer, they saw that the building was made of faded red boards, scarred white windows and faded white letters above the door, which said, _"Li'le Gifted shool for Li'le Gifted Kids." _

They pushed the door open; a task which was fairly was fairly easy, much to their surprise. Down a flight of darkened steps, there was a hallway with stark, fluorescent lighting. At the other end of this hallway was a large metal door. They went towards it, and paused. "Well, someone wants to make sure that they aren't found." Said Melisande, "Can you sense anyone in the room beyond?"

Kaitoia closed her eyes, casting out her powers to feel the presence of any living people in the room beyond. "We should be clear. I can't sense anyone. We need to be careful, though. There are definite signs of life somewhere close by, and if there is anyone here, they are beyond my range. We have to be mindful that we might not be alone down here."

"Well, whoever they are, they're about to be greeted by some surprise visors. Stand back, you two. I'll have us inside in no time." Melisande put her hands around the lock on the door and snapped it in half as easily as if it were no more than a twig. She then effortlessly pushed open the iron door. She gestured to Kaitoia, "After you."

When the three of them walked into the room, they were floored by what they saw.

The room was covered from floor to ceiling with Metro Man memorabilia. There were portraits, small statuettes, large sculptures, mounted exhibits of former costumes that Metro Man had worn throughout his years as Defender of Metro City. There were also action figures, cereal boxes, even hand towels.

Such a large collection of Metro Man objects was quite astounding. It was a sight that one didn't recover from easily. For several seconds, the three of them could do nothing except look around them and gawk.

Kaitoia was the first to move into the room. She continued to look around her in slight shock. "Who would want so many things relating to Metro Man, I wonder?" she asked herself, as she pulled her hand scanner.

"I think it would be best not to know." muttered Melisande, as she also started scanning, "Seems a little ego-centric, if you ask me, having all these things dedicated to you, and a man no less."

"You forget that Megamind had an entire museum," said Seren, "One room such as this is tame by comparison."

"It's a common theme of manhood on this planet to display _nacheesmo_ in the most blatant of ways." Said Kaitoia, "I suggest you get used to it, Melisande."

"It's machismo, Mistress. Said Seren.

"Right. My point is-"

They all stopped. They had both sensed it at the exact same moment. Seren and Kaitoia had sensed the presence of two others and Melisande had heard them in the next room. They looked at each other. There was nowhere to hide and they couldn't exactly go out the door. The broken lock might raise more than a few questions.

However, it turned out they didn't have time to plan their escape, for the next moment and quite sooner than they had been expecting, the door at the opposite end of the room opened, and in walked Wayne Scott, AKA Metro Man and Bernard St. Clair. They had been deep in conversation, but when they saw the three intruders, they stopped and stared. They were completely shocked, and Melisande, Kaitoia and Seren mirrored that same emotion.

To say that an awkward silence ensued would have been an understatement. After all, neither party had exactly intended to see each other there and certainly seeing Metro Man alive and in the flesh was a surprise. All three of them might have suspected that there was something more to the story, but to actually see it confirmed was another thing entirely. As for Wayne and Bernard, well, the former had no idea who these people were, and Bernard couldn't imagine why Melissa of all people had stumbled into what was supposed to be Wayne's top secret hide out.

Naturally with so much confusion on both sides, when the silence was broken, it was pretty much a cacophony of sound.

"Who are you?" asked Wayne, "How did you get in here?"

"How are you even alive? You're supposed to be dead." Said Kaitoia.

"Melissa, what's going on? How did you find this place?" asked Bernard.

"I could ask you the same thing. What you doing here with a dead man?"

This sort of exchange continued for a few seconds until Wayne (who, perhaps out of all them, had the most right to be annoyed), said, "Look, I don't know who you are, but you're trespassing on private property. If you're not going to talk to me, I'm sure the cops will love to hear your story." He had come forward, closing the gap between them in what might have been construed as a threatening manner. He was aiming for Kaitoia mostly, since she was the one in the lead. He probably didn't mean her any harm. After all, there is a lot that intimidation can do, and Wayne could be pretty intimidating when he wanted to be.

However, his approach was alarming enough to set off Seren's protective instincts. Minions were incredibly protective of their charges, and anyone who tried to threaten them had to go through the Minions themselves first, which was never an easy thing to accomplish.

Before anyone could blink an eye, Seren had moved in front of Kaitoia. "Try it, Muscle Boy," she hissed, golden eyes blazing. "And I'll have you in knots so fast you won't know what hit you."

Seren, being a member of the Voshki serpent race had many tricks at her disposal for survival. She now put them to use. Her length, normally only about five feet, had extended to ten, and she was now about as thick as a light pole. Despite that, however, she could still move quickly. She pounced on Metro Man, weaving around his arms and upper torso before he had time to react. And when he saw what was crawling around his arm, he let loose an almost girlish scream and cried, "Snake! Get it away! Get it away!"

Seren, never one to go quietly, proceeded to react by shocking Wayne, another little feature of survival for her species, which was originally used to stun small prey. Now, it was quite effective in making poor Wayne even more uncomfortable.

Meanwhile, Bernard and Melisande had begun to yell at each other, though not even Kaitoia could make out all that was being said. The noise and rush of emotions were becoming too much for her to handle. Eventually, she could take it no more and she cried, "All right, that's enough! Be silent and still, all of you!"

Immediately and with no warning whatsoever, everyone in the room froze. They could not move or make a sound. Kaitoia had frozen them all in space. She normally wouldn't have gone to such measures, but this had seemed an extreme case.

Kaitoia took several deep breaths to control herself, before she addressed Seren. _"Honestly, Seren. I expected better from you."_

"_But Mistress, he was coming after you."_

"_You don't know that. And you shouldn't have gone leaping on him like that when the man obviously has a problem with snakes."_

"_I'm sorry, Mistress."_ Grumbled Seren, _"Forgive me for trying to fulfill my duty. Next time, before I save your life, I'll be sure to ask your permission first."_

"_Seren, your attempts at sarcasm are overwhelming."_ Said Kaitoia, but she released Seren, who unwrapped herself from Wayne's still frozen form and slithered a bit sullenly over to Kaitoia.

"Melisande, can you behave?" Kaitoia asked.

Though Melisande couldn't really respond telepathically, she knew that Kaitoia could read her mind. _"All right, all right. Just free me; you know how much I hate to be static."_

Kaitoia let her go, and turned her attention at last to the other two people in the room. "Now, if I let you go, can we solve this like rational people, or are we going to go back to screaming and yelling children?"

"_We can't talk. How are we supposed to answer her?"_ thought Bernard, rather coolly, unaware of the fact that he had an audience.

"You don't need to speak it, just think it, and I'll hear you, like I just did." said Kaitoia, "I know that you have questions for us, and so do we. But none of us will be getting any answers if we repeat the scene that we all just experienced. Now if I let you go, will you hear us out?"

There was still a great deal of confusion in both their minds. At last, however, Kaitoia heard Metro Man think, rather hesitatingly, _"Um, yes."_

"Good." Kaitoia released Metro Man, who, having been a little off-balance when he was frozen, stumbled back a few paces.

Bernard had finally caught onto the scheme. _"Fine, I'll listen, but there had better be a good explanation to this." _

"Charming." Said Kaitoia, and let him go.

They all looked at each other in silence once more, neither of them quite sure what to say next, which was probably for the best. None of them really wanted to relive the last few minutes.

However, once again, it was Wayne who broke the silence. "Okay, you guys are the ones standing in my house. I think we deserve some answers. Who are you, and what," he pointed to Seren with no small degree of trepidation, "is that?"

Bernard looked at Wayne incredulously. "You're the strongest man on Earth, you melt metal with your eyes, you can fly, and you're afraid of snakes?"

Wayne blushed slightly. "Don't tell anyone, all right? And you would have screamed to if that thing had been crawling all over you."

"Would you please stop referring to me as though I were some sort of object?" said Seren, indignantly. "I am a living being, after all, and I would like to be respected as such."

Now, in the confusion of the last few minutes, neither Wayne, nor Bernard had really connected that third voice which they had been hearing to Seren. Now, when they heard her speaking, they were very surprised. "It-it talks?" said Wayne, in astonishment.

"For the last time, I am no an 'it.'" said Seren with mounting irritation. "I am a Minion, and I want to be treated that way."

"Seren, they don't know of such things on earth. Try to be patient." Said Kaitoia, before turning to Wayne, "However, I ask that you would listen to Seren's words. She can be quite nasty when she's angry."

"Please, would someone tell me what's going on?" said Wayne, who was hopelessly confused by this point.

"I can answer at least who they are, Wayne." Said Bernard, "That's Kaitlin Fellerman, she's Roxanne's camerawoman. And this is Melissa Thornton, she's the director of the Hitchcock Observatory, but what they're doing here, I can't answer." He shot a penetrating glance at Melissa, and was even more suspicious when he saw that she was avoiding his gaze.

They had reached a crossroads in their time on earth. They had, perhaps, always known that a moment like this would come, but at the same time, they had tried not to think about it. Now, faced with the challenge, they really didn't know what to say or do. Until Melisande realized that they had only one choice.

"Melis, we can't." whispered Kaitoia, almost as soon as she caught the first inkling of the thought.

"Kaitoia, we have no choice."

"We don't know what the consequences will be. It's still too early."

"Well, what are we supposed to do? Wipe their minds? I know you could do that, but doesn't that seem a little extreme at this point?"

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Wayne.

"And what about him?" said Melisande, instead of answering Wayne, "Kaitoia, don't you think that he deserves to know the truth?"

"Melissa-" said Bernard.

"That's not my name, Bernard." Said Melisande, who had decided that she was doing things her way.

"What do you mean? Of course that's your name."

"It's not, Bernard. In fact, I'm not who you think I am at all, neither is Kaitoia."

"_Mistress, I believe that we cannot gracefully back out of this now."_ Said Seren, telepathically to Kaitoia. _"And perhaps Melisande is right. Wayne Scott does have a right to know who he is."_

Kaitoia looked from Seren to Melisande, before finally conceding defeat. "Very well." she turned to Wayne and Bernard. "What Melisande is trying to say is that we're not human."

A moment of silence, and then, Wayne burst out laughing, and even Bernard managed to crack a smile. "Okay, that's hysterical." Said Wayne, "You two are funny, even if you are trespassing."

"Yeah, Melissa, you even had me going for a minute there."

"_I think a more subtle form of proof will be needed to satisfy them."_ said Seren.

"_Unfortunately, I believe that you are right."_ said Kaitoia. She reached for the necklace, and the generator for the holographic device.

Neither Wayne nor Bernard had entirely believed Kaitoia's words. However, their laughter and smiles immediately vanished when the bright light flared around Kaitoia. Her human façade fell away, replaced by the familiar blue skin, big head and wide, intensely-colored eyes that they had seen before so many times, but in the body of Megamind.

They stared at the blue female before them in complete disbelief. "You're… You're like him." said Wayne, at last, almost unable to trust his own voice or eyes, "You're like Megamind. But how… that can't be. It's impossible."

"Even with the evidence standing right in front of you, you still can't accept it." said Seren, "You really are a stubborn specimen."

"Hey, my planet was destroyed, along with Megamind's." said Wayne, "I may not remember it, but I do know that we were supposed to be the only ones left."

"You weren't though." Said Melisande, "Several members of both races were able to survive the disaster that destroyed both our worlds."

Wayne had not missed this last detail, and his eyes suddenly grew wide with wonder and hope. "Both? You mean, others like me survived?"

"Yes," said Melisande, "Kaitoia is like Megamind, she's Tandaren. But not me." As she spoke, her feet suddenly left the ground and she floated over to Wayne. "I'm like you. I'm a Nairian."

Bernard gasped when he saw Melisande rise from the ground, and for the first time, his logical mind had no logical explanation for what he was seeing. He was totally dumbfounded. But, Wayne's expression of wonder became mingled with an almost speechless and childlike joy. "Nairian? Is that what I am?"

Melisande smiled, and her customary witty sallies were strangely gentled. "Yes, or Nyra. That's the name of our species, the name of our world."

Wayne could hardly speak. His legs felt weak, and he had to sit down on one of the nearby chairs. "This is… Wow, this is going to take a moment to process."

"I understand, this must be a lot for you to take in."

"No, it's not just that. This is everything that I've ever dreamed of, everything that I've ever wanted. In so many ways, it's made me a part of who I am."

"Including your quarrel with Megamind." Said Kaitoia, who could see in the memories of Wayne that something besides just pride and ego had fueled their mutual conflict since their childhood.

"Yeah, I mean, I know now that looking back on it, I made a lot of mistakes with him, but I just couldn't help myself. The day he first came to school, he stood up in front of us all, and told that he was something called a Tandaren, and that he came from a planet in the Glaupunk Quadrant. He remembered his parents, the day that his planet was destroyed, everything. He even said that he knew his real name, though he wouldn't tell it to us. I heard that, and I just felt so jealous. It reminded me of everything that I didn't know about who I was. I couldn't remember anything about where I had come from, and I had always known that I was different just because of my abilities. Even at that age, I had just wanted to know who I actually was. It seemed so unfair, and I took it out on him. It wasn't right, I know, but I didn't know what else to do." He blinked and looked at Kaitoia. "How did you even guess that? I've never told that to anyone."

Kaitoia was a little embarrassed, and Wayne caught the fait coloring of indigo along her ear tips, the same thing that happened to Megamind when he got embarrassed. "Ah, yes, well, sorry about that. I read your mind and saw it."

"You read my mind?"

"Don't worry about Kaitoia. She does that me all the time." said Melisande, "She can't help it. Her mind is so attuned to the thoughts of others that she just does it without thinking, and then, of course, there are her other gifts."

"You mean, the whole freezing thing?" asked Wayne, who looked as though the memory was rather unpleasant for him.

"Well, yes." Said Kaitoia, "Sorry about that, but you didn't leave me much choice."

Wayne turned to Seren. "And you would be…"

"My Mistress' Minion." Said Seren, "My name is Seren."

"Minion, you're like Megamind's fish friend? I thought that was like a one-time thing."

"Not really, Minions are quite common among Tandarens."

"Oh. Well, uh, sorry I screamed. You just kind of caught me off-guard."

"That's quite all right. I've noticed that many people on this planet have an irrational fear of snakes, thought I cannot understand why."

"So, just how many-" Wayne began to ask, who was still brimming with curiosity, but Bernard cut him off. He had finally found his voice, and by this time, he couldn't help feeling more than a little angry.

"Look, I hate to interrupt this little reunion, but can someone please explain what's going on? There are two aliens standing in this room, Wayne, and you're not even a little worried?"

"Hey, I'm an alien too, technically." Said Wayne.

"Well, I wasn't asking you." He turned an accusing glare at Melisande and Kaitoia. "If there are more of your kind out there, how did they even discover Earth? For that matter, what are you doing here? Is it some precursor to invasion?"

"Bernard, you're starting to make this sound like a science fiction movie that you're so quick to condemn. We're not here to invade Earth. Our intentions aren't even hostile. We were sent to Earth from our home planets so that we could discern how humans might react to a first contact. It's a survey mission, nothing more."

Bernard desperately wanted to believe Melissa, or Melisande, of whatever her name was, but he didn't know what to think at this point. He found that it wasn't the threat of an alien invasion which worried him. It was the fact that a woman he had trusted as a friend had seemingly been deceiving him for the past two months. He hadn't realized until this moment just how special Melisande was becoming to him. Her bright ways had somehow managed to worm their way into his heart, despite all the defenses that he had placed there. And now, when he saw the truth, it made the revelation hurt even more.

"So, you've been lying to me all this time?"

Melisande saw the hurt on Bernard's face, and immediately fear grew in her heart. She didn't want Bernard not to trust her; she didn't want him to hate her. "Bernard, I know how this must seem, but you have to understand, I didn't have a choice in this matter. I couldn't tell you."

"You know, just forget it, I don't want to hear it." He said, rather coldly, before turning to Kaitoia, "Fine, so you're here. Now what?"

"Well, I'm afraid that this was somewhat of an unplanned event." Said Kaitoia, "We weren't planning on revealing ourselves to you humans, for reasons of paranoia, which you just so beautifully demonstrated. However, it had been done. Therefore, I need to make a request of you."

"Which would be what exactly?" asked Bernard.

"That you would keep my presence and that of Melisande and Seren a secret from others. You have to tell no one we are here, for our own safety."

"And if we refuse?" challenged Bernard.

"Then I might have to take some drastic measures. I could erase your memories of us, but I would rather not have to do that."

"So, it isn't a request, it's an order."

"It is whatever you want it to be, Bernard. I would do whatever I felt necessary to protect those I care about. Would you do anything less if our positions were reversed?"

Bernard glared at her, but his face reluctantly showed that she had a point. "If you can truly read minds, you already know the answer to that. But one false move and I will tell someone, you can bet on that."

"Wait, what about Megamind?" said Wayne, "I mean, surely you've got tell him."

"No, we can't." said Kaitoia, "You must not tell him that we exist."

"But you told me, and surely he has a right to know as much as I do that some members of our species have survived."

"But everything that he does, whether he intends it to be or not is thrust into the public eye." said Seren, "All too easily our secret might be revealed. We can't risk that. Eventually, he will know. But he can't now."

"All right," said Wayne, after a moment. "I won't tell him. But I still think that you ought too, and soon." At this point, his former excitement of discovering that there were others of his kind resurfaced, and he immediately turned back to Melisande and began to ask her every question he had ever wanted to know about the Nyra. Kaitoia, for her part, wanted to know why Metro Man had survived.

It seemed that they would be there for a couple of hours. But, Bernard could see clearly that his presence wasn't needed. He wasn't even sure that he wanted to be there. Not when Melissa had proven to be something other than what she seemed.

He tried to slip out, but Melisande saw him. "Bernard, will-will I see you later?"

Bernard merely shook his head. "I don't know, maybe, maybe not. It could just be best if we left each other alone for awhile."

"Bernard, wait-"

But Bernard turned and left without another word, or even a glance back at her. And Melisande for the first time in her life was unsure of herself, in her words and actions, her very feelings when it came to a member of the opposite sex.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: The partnership between Tabitha and Hal is not going very smoothly. When Hal decides to go off on his own to spread some mayhem around Metro City, it will be up to a corageous brain bot to save Roxanne. Also, Megamind gives Roxanne a heartfelt, if somewhat bizarre, gift that shows her just how much he cares.


	27. Shadows of Evil

Here is a new chapter, on the last day of the year. Happy New Year to everyone who reads. Wishing you and yours the best in the year 2012.

Shadows of Evil:

It had been a few weeks since Hal had teamed up with Tabitha. The results so far had proven to be exactly what she had been expecting. Even though Hal talked a great deal of how evil he was, about how much he wanted to destroy Megamind and Roxanne, and how very willing he was to do whatever Tabitha suggested, she could plainly see that Hal had no intention of following her suggestions. Either he was not wiling to listen to her because he was too busy playing video games, or he rejected them outright as being impossible. Though, of course, the real reason why he was being so uncooperative was because he did not want anyone telling him what to do.

From the moment that he had received his powers back, he had become increasingly arrogant and difficult to deal with. He seemed to think that because he was big and strong once more, that meant that he could do anything he wanted, and everyone had to bow to his better judgment. There was still a good deal of fear in his head against Tabitha, which meant that he didn't try to challenge her authority directly. But he went out of his way to disparage her authority and question her orders. He was even trying sometimes upon Tabitha's own patience, but since she still had the ultimate ace, she kept herself patient.

That ultimate ace was not something that Hal even suspected. He thought that he had acquired his powers thanks to some elaborate laser contraption that had been pretty cool to look at, even if it had nearly blinded him. Hal, like so many others, was easily fooled by the big show, which even Tabitha had to admit was necessary in the larger play of good versus evil.

However, Hal had actually been given his power by a small implant underneath his skin. It had not only reconfigured his DNA, but it was also a tracker, so that Tabitha could keep track of anything that he did. She had exclusive control of Hal's powers; she could deprive him of them whenever she chose to. She wasn't prepared to do that just yet, though. She needed Hal to stir up trouble in Metro City, so that the proper fear would be spread. What she was seeking to do now, was goad Hal into doing something on his own.

It didn't prove to be a very difficult task. Tabitha merely had to be extremely adamant about something that Hal didn't like. In this case, it was how they were going to start their campaign of terror in Metro City. "We cannot go in all guns blazing." Said Tabitha.

"What do you mean we can't do that? You're the one who has all the big guns, and since I have my powers back, nothing will be able to stand against us."

"But, that will not be the best way to gain your goals. When you're trying to go up against an entire city, you have to slowly build up the tension and the fear of the citizens."

"The losers who live in Metro City are already afraid of me." said Hal, rather proudly, "They had to survive me once before and they definitely won't be able to resist me again."

"Hal, the fear which the citizens felt for you was only born out after twenty-four hours. It was like a tidal wave, it devastated them for one day. But, that kind of instant terror doesn't last. And after awhile, the victims whom you seek to terrify are all to ready to stand against you. But, if you give them an enemy that they cannot see, a fear which they can never predict, that is when weakness is revealed."

"That's stupid." Said Hal, who really hadn't understood the psychology that Tabitha had employed, and was now resorting to sounding like a grumpy two year old that wasn't getting his way. "I mean, what could that possibly do in the long run? If you give anyone you want to conquer enough time, doesn't that mean that they will find more ways to try and get ahead of you?"

"That is all part of the great game which we play." Said Tabitha, with a rather sickening amount of glee. "However, there is another purpose to waiting and taking things slow."

"Oh, yeah, give me one good reason, I need to hear this."

"If Metro City begins to slowly sink into a state of panic and chaos, that means they will come to rely increasingly upon their hero. Megamind will start to feel the pressure, and he will make a mistake. It is when heroes think that everything which they love is on the verge of destruction that their weaknesses begin to show. We need to know Megamind's weakness, because without that, anything we plan is going to be a failure before it even begins."

"But we already know Megamind's weakness, or at least I do. It's Roxanne. I mean, hello, if you're doing any research on this, you would know that she is that blue freak's girlfriend, for some strange reason. If we can just get to her, that means we will be able to do anything with Megamind that we want."

"Yes, and if we move to quickly and fail, what then? Megamind will simply take steps to protect Roxanne, and our greatest chance will be lost. No, Hal, we have to wait and see how things go. It would be best for you if you followed my advice in this matter." Without so much as another word, Tabitha turned and walked out of Hal's suite.

Hal was left in a really bad mood with this interview. Here he had all of his new powers, and he couldn't even use them. This was turning out to be worse than the first time Megamind had given him his powers. Why, if he could just take them out on someone, even for a little while, it might make him feel a little better.

That thought made him pause. Why not try that? Why not go to Metro City right now, and spread a little havoc? Maybe Tabitha was right, perhaps an all out assault on Megamind this early in the game would be a mistake, but surely that didn't mean he couldn't take things into his own hands for a little while. A little fear might go a long way towards showing Roxanne, Megamind and everyone else in Metro City that Tighten was back, and he was not leaving any time soon. He didn't have to wait for any word from Tabitha to do that.

Hal never really stopped to think about how he managed to get out of The Syndicate's headquarters so easily. That worked just fine for Tabitha. She was allowing Hal to go his own way, for now. In the main control room, she tracked his movements as he flew towards Metro City, and a smile spread across her lips, one that was enough to cause ice itself to seem warm by comparison. Hal was playing right into her hands, and doing exactly as she wanted him to. She would allow him his mouth to bit for a short while. Letting him do so was all part of her plan to spread discord and fear, but at the same time, any mistakes he made would be solely on his head.

Thus, Tabitha Davenport, despite all that Hal Stewart thought, was the one who was pulling the strings in this game. She continued to be the master manipulator.

* * *

In Metro City, tensions were running high. Everyone who lived in the city seemed to sense that there was some sort of storm that was brewing on the horizon, and none of their efforts would be able to stop it from coming. As yet, there had been no sign of Hal Stewart, or even of the mysterious DOOM Syndicate, of which only Megamind, Minion and Roxanne knew about. Megamind had gone over the information that Lydia had given him in the flash drive, and what he had learned of the pure evil that The Syndicate perpetrated all over the world had shocked him. He was currently putting all of his resources into creating preventative measures that would protect the city. However, until he had a fuller idea of the enemies and methods that he was dealing with, there was no way he could be sure that they would work.

It didn't necessarily help that at this most crucial time, he and Roxanne had come to blows once more. The argument was not as serious as their first, but it was still distressing to him. Megamind was extremely concerned for Roxanne's safety, quite understandably. He had wanted her to move into the Lair so that he would be better able to protect her. Roxanne had insisted that she was not going to run from Hal. She wanted to show him that she was not going to run from him.

The only bright side was that they had parted on slightly better terms. They had at least promised that they would consider the position of the other. They would actually try to talk to each other instead of resorting to the silent treatment.

Still, when Roxanne went back to her apartment at the end of the day, she was still a little miffed at Megamind. At the very least she wasn't alone. She had agreed that it was foolish to not have some sort of security around her, and Megamind had instructed the brain bot 147 to look after her. Roxanne had started to get the hang of the brain bots odd way of communicating, and she was getting pretty good at getting the gist of what they were saying. Roxanne had gotten to like the spunky little brain bot, who she thought to be quite like herself.

Right now, she appreciated someone to vent to, even if it was a cyborg. She had gotten out of her car, and was now in the elevator, 147 hovering beside her. "I want you to know that I don't mind your presence at all, 147." She said, as she patted the brain bot, "I appreciate that Megamind is really trying to protect me. I don't resent that. But I don't want to move in with him. It's not that I don't love him or anything, I just don't want to lose any of my independence."

147 bleeped her reply, which sounded something like an agreement. The doors to the elevator opened and Roxanne stepped into the hallway, 147 hovering behind her. Roxanne was just about to continue on in her rant, until 147 inexpiably froze. The move was sudden, and Roxanne looked behind her, slightly confused. "147, what's the matter, girl?"

147 immediately noises that sounded like they were warnings to shush her. The brain bot coked her head, and then motioning that Roxanne should stay where she was, she hovered a little ways down the hallway. She stopped at Roxanne's door, and seemed to be staring at it intently. Roxanne knew that 147, along all of Megamind's brain bots, had been outfitted with extra sensory devices, so that meant that 147 had the ability to literally see and hear through walls. After a few seconds, she reeled back, sparking quietly but intensely with alarm.

Roxanne was immediately on her guard. If something had set off 147, that meant that there was something very bad happening. She inched closer to the door, trying to listen for what it was that 147 was hearing. And that was when she heard the sound of someone in her apartment, causing as much destruction as they could, or he could. It was Hal, she could hear his voice shouting abuse at the things which she owned, insulting objects since they belonged to her, not to mention saying some rather lurid things about her relationship with Megamind.

At the very sound of Hal's voice, Roxanne felt herself go numb. She was rooted to the spot with fear, and for a moment, she didn't know what she was supposed to do. She was terrified, which wasn't an emotion that Roxanne was used to feeling. She could stand in front of a building ablaze only a few feet from her or report on a horrific crime scene without batting an eye. But this was something different. This was the man who had tied her to a building and threatened to crush her to death, not to mention a guy who had been a serious creeper beforehand. All she could remember about the moment was the helplessness of being tied to the top of Metro Tower, powerless to control her own fate and with no idea if she would actually survive. Perhaps under the present circumstances, she had every right to be afraid.

But, luckily, 147 was there to save the day. Seeing that Roxanne was suffering from something equivalent to a nervous breakdown, she took her gently by the arm, and blinking her blue dome reassuringly, she began to nudge slowly down the hallway. They got to the elevator and 147 pushed Roxanne into the car. The doors shut and once they had gotten a few floors down, 147 had somehow managed to hack into the operating sensors of the car, stopping them between floors. Roxanne figured that this was for the best. After all, she was probably as safe in an elevator car as she was anywhere else. She surely couldn't leave the building and she couldn't call Megamind into help. Either action would certainly capture the attention of Hal. He had to have his powers back by the sound of the destruction he had been doing in her apartment, and his advanced senses would warn him in advance of any approach. She suddenly wished that she hadn't been so obstinate in wanting to flout her independence. Suddenly, she was wishing that Megamind was there to protect her.

147 also had a solution to this problem as well. She had had a bit of experience dealing with Hal when he had been the villain a few months before, and she had had no fond memories of him. She also happened to know that Hal wouldn't have any good feelings about the brain bots either. It just might be enough to keep him distracted so that she and Roxanne could make a run for it.

Accordingly, she called on a group of brain bots who were currently on patrol in that part of the city. She told them to fly to Roxanne's apartment and buzz Hal, leading him on a chase long enough for Roxanne to make her get away. The brain bots responded almost at once. They all had taken to playing hero with gusto, and when it involved saving their mommy, they were doubly courageous.

The ploy worked to perfection, as Roxanne would later find out. The brain bots had come to the window and started shooting lasers which Megamind had installed into their domes. The lasers had no effect on Hal advanced physiology, but they were uncomfortable and they were enough to rile him up. He immediately forgot about vandalizing Roxanne's apartment and flew after them, intent on hunting them all down and destroying their little innards. Once she was certain that the coast was clear, 147 led Roxanne out of the building. When they made it to Roxanne's car, she took a moment to hug the brain bot close to her. "147, thank you. I don't know what I would have done without you."

147 made a content purring sound and nuzzled up to Roxanne affectionately. That done, Roxanne started the vehicle and headed off as quickly as she could for Megamind's Lair.

Upon learning that Hal was loose in the city, and had already tried to make a move against Roxanne, Megamind's worry might be imagined. He immediately alerted the police, and the Mayor to be on the look out for him. A few hours later, the remaining brain bots which had been decoys for Roxanne's escape returned. Half of their numbers had been destroyed, but luckily, Megamind was able to resuscitate them in different bodies by the end of the day. In the end, there was no sign of Hal that could be found. But it set the authorities on high alert. The storm which had been gathering so ominously on the horizon had broken. And by the time it was over, every citizen in Metro City felt that they would be irrevocably changed.

That evening, when Roxanne had had a chance to calm down, she and Megamind had a heart to heart talk about their argument. "I hate to admit it," said Roxanne, "but you were right. When I heard that Hal was so close to me, I froze up. I couldn't move, I couldn't think, I couldn't do anything. If he had caught me like that, completely unaware, I don't know what would have happened."

Megamind put his arm around her comfortingly. "Roxanne, none of this is your fault. As far as I understand, it's a perfectly natural reaction."

"I know, I just thought that I had gotten over it." Roxanne sighed, "Well, I shouldn't sit around and mope about it. It is what it is and I will have to deal with the consequences."

"And on the up side, it really isn't so bad, is it?" said Megamind, "I mean, staying here with me is probably a lot better than staying in a hotel with a lot of security watching your every move. I have lived that life, and I know how uncomfortable it can be at times. One never feels that one has any privacy." A big smile suddenly came on his face and he jumped up eagerly. "On that note, come with me, I have something to show you which I think will make this whole thing a little more palatable."

Roxanne, curious as to what Megamind was so excited about, followed him up the steps onto the second floor of the warehouse. When they came to a seemingly plain door that said "broom closet" on it, Megamind turned to her eagerly and said, "All right, now, close your eyes."

"Megamind, why are we in front of a broom closet?"

"Just close your eyes, all right?"

Roxanne decided that it would be best to oblige Megamind this one time. She closed her eyes. Megamind waved his hand in front of her eyes just to be sure that they were really closed and she couldn't see anything. Satisfied and excited, he opened the door, took her by both hands, and led her into the room. "All right, you can open them now."

Roxanne opened her eyes, and was stunned by what she saw. She could have sworn that she was standing in her own apartment. Everything, from the furniture in the living room to the color of the walls and lamps hanging above the dining room table were perfect recreations. Even the view out of her windows and balcony was the same. For a moment, she was too astonished to say anything.

Megamind waited eagerly for her to express her opinion. "Well, what do you think? Will it do for your stay?"

"Yes, of course it will. But, how on earth did you create this? And what for?"

"Well, I have to admit that I have been working on it for some time. I never did try to think about it, but I did wonder if there might not be a villain some time in the future who would try to threaten you directly, and that the wisest course would be to lodge you here. But I also knew that you wanted your own privacy and your own space. I had the room available, and so I thought that I would make good use of it. 238 and 125 have been working on the recreation for the past few weeks, along with a few of the other brain bots. I made sure that no expense was spared. As for why, well, I want to protect you, but I don't want to stifle your spirit. It's one of the things that I love about you. I know that this isn't really your home, Roxanne, but I do want to try and give you the best of both worlds."

Roxanne had to admit that she was touched, despite the somewhat grandiose display of affection. After all, it did come from the heart. She put her arms around Megamind and said, "I've got you, Sujan. No matter where I am, that means I always have the best of whatever world I'm in."

* * *

Tabitha was waiting for Hal Stewart when he returned to his suite at DOOM Syndicate headquarters. He was not really worried about any sort of remonstrance which she might give him. He had done a pretty good day's work. He hadn't seen Roxanne, but he had wrecked her apartment, caused a bit of minor damage in the city and had destroyed a good crew of Megamind's brain bots. If that didn't spread a bit of terror in Metro City, than he didn't know what would.

And Tabitha didn't look overly aggressive. In fact, he first words were spoken in a rather proud tone. "Well, you seem to have been making your presence known in Metro City today, if the reports are anything to go by."

"Yeah, it was totally awesome. I told you that if you did things my way you would be getting results."

Tabitha bit back her sarcastic remark, and merely smiled thinly. "Yes, perhaps so."

"Take it from me, in only a few days, you'll be able to walk into Metro City and take care of Megamind, no problem. He knows that I am back and what I can do."

"Yes, that might have been. Unfortunately, your actions just might have made my task harder."

Hal's optimism faltered. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, one of my agents has informed me that, thanks to your actions, Roxanne has gone under Megamind direct protection. It will now be significantly harder to get to her. As you said, she was out best hope of getting Megamind right where we wanted him, and because of that, it means that we will have to readjust our plans."

Hal saw to late that he had probably made a tactical error. "Oh, well, that's too bad."

Tabitha hoped that this little lesson would mean that Hal would take his cues from her now about when he should act. His little campaign of terror was actually exactly the direction that she wanted him to go. However, she wanted to make sure that he wouldn't ruin her plans by going off on his own again.

"Do not worry, Hal. Every conflict has its set backs. This might make the end result harder to achieve, but once we get there, it will make the victory all the sweeter."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Melisande has a bone to pick with Bernard, but it turns out that confrontation will yield something more suprising than either of them could have expected.


	28. Realizations of the Heart

For all you Bernard lovers out there (and for having such a small role, the guy seems to have a big fan base), this chapter will most likely be a big treat. Enjoy!

Realizations of the Heart:

Melisande had not had an easy few days. Granted not all of them had been bad. She was spending a lot of time with Wayne Scott. It may not have been the most obvious of friendships, and Wayne was a little slow on the uptake. Then again, he had just discovered that he was not the only one left of his race. He had an entire lifetime of questions to ask; as she was the only one who could satisfactorily answer those questions, she was spending a lot of time with him.

That had really been the only good part. The rest of her life was, for the most part, a big mess. It was really because of one person: Bernard. Ever since he had learned the truth of her identity, she hadn't seen or spoken him. When she tried calling him, she received no answer and even going over to his office to see him produced no results. She knew what was going on, he was deliberately avoiding her. That was something of a disappointment to her. She had hoped that he would be above such petty things. Perhaps she had been expecting too much of him.

But she knew what she was expecting of herself. She wasn't about to sit on the sidelines and wait for Bernard to make some sort of move. She was going to go to Bernard herself and get to the bottom of this once and for all.

Thusly, about a week after the incident at Wayne's place, she marched into the Megamind Museum, and right to Bernard's private office. The secretary stood up to stop her. "I'm sorry, Miss Thornton, but Mr. St. Claire isn't receiving visitors today."

Melisande turned to her and said, "Oh, really what a shame. I'm still going on."

"But, Miss Thornton-"

Nairians could be very intimidating when they wanted to be, the women perhaps more so than the men. Melisande's eyes suddenly seemed to be boring holes in the secretary's head, and she said in a sweetly dangerous voice. "Why don't you just tell him I'm here, open the door and I won't out you in the hospital."

The secretary seemed more than a little uncomfortable about this. She seemed to get the idea that Melisande could very easily deliver on her threat. And even if she was bluffing, she didn't particularly want to find out. "Yes, of course, Miss Thornton, right away."

She pressed a button on her desk, presumably an intercom into Bernard's office and said, "Mr. St. Claire, Miss Thornton is here to see you. Yes, sir, I tried to tell her that, but she is, rather insistent. All right, I'll tell her." She looked up at Melisande. "You can go in, Miss Thornton."

"Thank you." said Melisande, smiling.

Bernard's office was probably the only room in the Megamind Museum that was not slathered with icons of the villain turned hero. Bernard had a few pieces of art work on the pale blue walls, a black carpet, a desk and two chairs. It was simple and practical, just the way that Bernard preferred them to be.

Bernard did not seem exactly thrilled to see her. He gave her a semi-hostile glance for half a second before returning to staring intently at the computer screen once more.

"Hello, Bernard." Said Melisande, she waited a few seconds before she continued. "You know, it is customary to say hello back."

"Hello, now go away."

"No." said Melisande, curtly, sitting down in one of the chairs opposite Bernard, "I'm not leaving until we settle this."

"What's the matter that needs to be settled?"

"Oh, come on, Bernard. You know exactly what I mean. Stop trying to avoid it."

"Well, what would you have me say?" asked Bernard, his cool exterior cracking, as his temper started to get the better of him. "You're an alien, fine, great. I promised Kaitoia I wouldn't tell anyone, and I'm not going to. So I don't see why you have to get so defensive."

"Defensive? Me? You're the one who's blowing this all out of proportion. I'm not the one who hasn't returned the calls, or been deliberately avoiding the presence of another person just because I may not agree with them."

"What's there to say? What would you want to do with someone like me who is just a human? You only wanted to get close to me because I could give you information."

"That's not true."

"Oh, really? You can't stand there and tell me that part of the reason you befriended me was because I could tell you things no one else could."

Melisande fidgeted. "Well, initially." Seeing the triumphant look on Bernard's face, she quickly added. "But, I also could see your true worth, Bernard. You were the first human that I really understood on this planet. You gave me hope that a first contact might be possible."

"I was only speaking hypothetically."

"But, you also told me that you thought visitors from other worlds cold come in peace. Now they have. Why should you suddenly be so hostile?"

"You lied to me." said Bernard, angrily, finally getting to the heart of what was bothering him. "I wouldn't have cared if you were an alien, if this had happened any other way, if I had met you after this whole grand first contact took place. Instead, you had to come in and manipulate me."

"That's not true, Bernard. How was I supposed to tell you? How? You never would have believed me, and we would be right back where we are now."

Bernard stood up, finding that he was becoming angrier with each passing moment, for reasons that he couldn't entirely name. "That doesn't make any difference, Melissa. You still lied to me about everything, even about your name. I don't know how I can believe anything that you tell me when you've been lying to me ever since we met."

Now Melisande surged to her feet, angry herself. "Would you stop accusing me of lying to you, Bernard? I never have lied to you about anything that was truly important."

"But you didn't tell me the entire truth, and that amounts to the same thing."

"You're clutching at straws, Bernard. Even you must see how truly ridiculous this is becoming."

"Ridiculous, nice choice of words. I suppose then that you understand the seriousness of the situation if you describe it like that."

Their argument had been rising in passion ever since it had stared. They had both intended on going through this interview coolly and calmly, even if the other person started reacting emotionally. In fact, they might have hoped to get some sort of reaction out of the other, just so they might feel superior. But some thing was happening between them besides just the argument. It was simmering just beneath the surface, growing stronger as the seconds passed. This force had been drawing them together for a long time, without either of them being fully aware of it. Even now, it was making them draw closer together, even while continuing to exchange insults.

"I am perfectly aware of serious this situation is. And I can also see that you are acting like child, something that I didn't expect from you."

"Well, I'm sorry for not living up to your high standards."

Melisande took several steps forward, coming nearly nose to nose with him. "Believe me, when it comes to men, my standards are, by nature, extremely average. And your species' example of the male sex might have significantly lowered them. But I thought that you were different."

"If I've let you down so badly, than why are you even here?"

"Because I wanted to try talking with you. But I can clearly see that isn't going to work."

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Perhaps you should leave and save yourself any more wasted time."

"Oh, no, you are not going to get rid of me that easily."

"Fine, then I'll leave."

Bernard took one step backwards, but Melisande reached out quicker than his eye could follow, grabbing him by the arm and hauling him back. "You're not going anywhere."

"Well, I would like to see you try and stop me."

Melisande's next action was based totally off of instinct. Her basic choices had been to either punch Bernard's lights out, or kiss him senseless. Her head might have preferred the punch, but her heart had other ideas. Being so close to him, in the heat of such strong emotions, her hear simply decided that it had had enough. She pulled Bernard to her, and planted her lips on his.

Bernard was completely stunned by this move. For a brief second, he was frozen. Should he pull away? Just stand there? Accuse her of sexual assault? But, then, he realized, that no, he shouldn't do any of those things, she should return the kiss. Because, when Melisande kissed him, it seemed so right, so natural, like this was where he had always been meant to be.

It made no sense, especially considering how angry he had been at her only moments before. But none of that mattered. All that Bernard did was put his arms around Melisande, and pull her closer as he started to return the kiss, savoring the feeling of holding her close.

Melisande was also startled by her actions, but when Bernard pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, all she felt was an overwhelming surge of relief and joy. This was hardly her first kiss or her first romantic liaison. But with Bernard, it felt like something different. Bernard had been the first man whom she had ever truly liked and respected. He was so different from her, and yet he understood her completely. No wonder she had been so compelled to kiss him, because this was where her heart and mind belonged.

The kiss went on for a long time. Melisande probably could have gone on longer, but Bernard was forced to break the kiss for want of oxygen. However, even when the kiss ended, neither made any move to pull away from each other. They just stood there in an embrace, foreheads touching. And as brown eyes looked blue, they finally understood the force which had drawn them together. It had nothing to do with being human or Nairian, for love knows no species.

Bernard's face forced into a small smile. "Melisande, it what I think happening actually happening?"

Melisande returned the smile, not the least of which because Bernard had used her real name for the first time. "I think so. You want to talk about it tonight, over dinner? There's a great little place in the south of downtown that's supposed to serve exquisite French food."

"Are you asking me out a date?"

"I think so. Dinner is usually considered a courtship ritual on this planet." Said Melisande, "Why should that be so odd?"

"Only that on earth, it's mainly the man who asks out the woman."

"Does it bother you that I'm not traditional?"

"No, actually. I think who speak for herself is kind of sexy."

"So, you'll be there? Say 7:00?"

"I wouldn't miss is for the world."

* * *

So, Bernard and Melisande have finally admitted their feelings. Now you can be sure that will create a whole bunch of problems. For right now, please read and review.

Next chapter: A little conversation between Minion and Roxanne will yield some interesting insights into Megamind's past. And Bernard and Melisande share their first date.


	29. Dinner Date

Dinner Date:

Roxanne had thought that there might be a little awkwardness in staying with Megamind. However, a few days of staying at warehouse in her exact replica apartment had made her change her mind. Megamind gave her all the space she needed and never entered without knocking. She also wondered if he had put soundproof walls around her apartment, because she never heard any of his customary loved rock music or any building of his machines. She was certain that he was building, because in between going through the entrance of the warehouse to her apartment, she saw that he was working furiously on a variety of inventions, but of course she had no idea what those machines were.

While she normally had breakfast in her own apartment, she sometimes had it with Megamind in the kitchen that he and Minion used. About two weeks after she had moved in the Lair, she came into the kitchen only to find Minion was there, in his "Kiss the Cook" apron and baker's hat. He was standing at the stove, making what looked like an omelet. He greeted Roxanne with his normal cheeriness. "Good morning, Roxanne. Sir has already left; he had a meeting with the Mayor. Apparently, there was another incident."

Roxanne felt herself shuddering. Over the past few weeks, Metro City had been suffering a wave of crime that was unprecedented in recent history. Car thefts, bank robberies, arson and other crimes of that nature had all been going on across the city. Sometimes, the culprit was clearly Hal, though no one had yet been able to find him. Other times, the criminals seemed to come from a completely different source, one that was untraceable despite all the best efforts of Megamind and the police.

The crimes were completely random, with no particular pattern that could be found. As yet, there had been no deaths, but the injuries from some incidents had been severe, the damage was proving to be expensive and the morale of the city shattered with each new attack. "Where was it this time?"

"The homeless shelter, I believe. The entire place went up in flames. Everyone got out in time, but the food collection was destroyed. The directors of the shelter think it will take them months to get everything back in order."

"And meanwhile, the homeless are back out on the street." Roxanne shook her head. "This is getting serious, Minion. I mean, Hal and whoever these guys with The Syndicate may be are starting to target innocent, homeless civilians now. Where will they stop?"

Minion could see that this was upsetting Roxanne. He went over to her and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We're all worried about that, Roxanne. But, I'm sure that Sir will do everything in his power to turn this situation around."

"He's never had to face a challenge this big before, though." Said Roxanne, "What if he can't handle it?"

"You should know by now that Sir never give up." Said Minion, fervently, "That's his greatest gift, and that's more powerful than any amount of physical strength a person can have. I know that he'll get to the bottom of this."

Roxanne smiled, "Minion, you always know exactly what to say. You're right; I know that Megamind will do this. He just needs some time."

"Good. Now, easy your breakfast. You need to be at work soon."

"Not until 11:00, actually." Said Roxanne, as she sat down, "Why don't you join me for breakfast, Minion?"

"Me? Join you for breakfast?"

"Well, yes. Staying here the past few days has made me realize that even though I have known you almost as long as Megamind, I know next to nothing about you. I would like to get to know you a little better, that's all."

This had been rather unexpected for Minion, but it was a welcome invitation nonetheless. He sat down opposite her, and Roxanne was surprised when one of his robotic arms raised a bite of the omelet up to his bowl, pushed through the glass and the fish ate it. The glass showed no sign of cracking, and when Minion's hand withdrew from the bowl, there was no frisson in the bowl for the water to escape.

Minion must have noticed Roxanne's questioning glance. "Oh, it's how I eat. Sir designed the suit to be able to allow me to do so without breaking my tank."

Roxanne had no idea how to respond to this. "Oh, I see. I didn't know that you ate the same food as humans did."

"Well, I can eat fish food, but I prefer to avoid it except during emergencies. It's part of my adaptations as a Minion."

"What do you mean?"

"Sir's race, the Tandarens, had a lot of Minions like me. Five species from each class of animals developed advanced intelligence. Those species were, in turn eventually trained up by the Tandarens to be helpers for both individuals and families."

Roxanne found herself fascinated. Megamind had never told her much about his home world. It was a subject that understandably caused him a lot of pain. But, she had been curious about it for a very long time. "Were you like servants, then?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. It's something that's kind of difficult to describe in human terms, especially since the world 'Minion' means something completely different in your language than it does in Tandaren." Minion paused for a few seconds, contemplating the best way to explain it. "It's like you've been with someone from the very beginning almost, and you felt this immediate connection with them; so much so that you would do anything for them. That's kind of like what a Minion is supposed to be. All of us feel, from a very young age, know that there is some Tandaren that we are meant to connect with and to help in whatever way we can. Some of us serve families, others individuals. Megamind's parents choose me, but when Sir was born, I connected with him almost immediately."

"Is that why your parents sent you with him?"

"Yes, they knew that I would be the best choice to protect their son. They trusted me to look after him, be his friend, whatever he needed."

"Including taking on the role of an actual Minion in his nefarious schemes?"

"Well, perhaps, they didn't quite think that, but it was what it developed into, so I followed him into it."

"Of course, he never treated you anything like a conventional Minion." Struck by a sudden thought, she asked, "Minion, what _is_ your real name?"

"My name?"

"Yeah, I mean Megamind told me his real name. I'm guessing that you must have one to. Your name can't just be Minion, can it?"

"No, I guess not. It's just that no one has ever asked me."

"Well, I'm asking you, and I would like to know it."

"All right, it's Chota."

"That's a beautiful name." said Roxanne, "Why don't you and Megamind use your real names more often?"

"I think that it still brings back to many painful memories for him." said Minion, "When he was a child, Sir always tried to avoid any mention of his past. He just tried to bury it. It was the only way that he could cope with the emotions. He really never had anyone but me to turn to."

Roxanne nodded as she processed this information. She could certainly understand that. After all, growing up in a prison environment, no matter how good-intentioned the prisoners might have been, was not exactly conducive to bearing one's soul. "What about your species, what is it called?"

"I'm a member of the Yun race. They lived in the oceans of the Tandaren home world. All Minion species had some sort of special ability that set them apart. It helps them to serve their families. The ability of my species is probably what you would call extreme realistic optimism."

"What does that mean?"

"Basically, that my mind is always able to see the best in every situation, and also the other important thing is the reality in making that optimism work. And I can make other people see it and believe it too."

"That makes sense, actually." Said Roxanne, "Especially considering all the crazy schemes that Megamind tried over the years, you always seemed like a steadying influence on him."

"Good, I glad that you noticed that." said Minion, "And believe me, there might have been a lot of schemes that were crazier if I hadn't been there. That's always been one of the reasons why I was so connected to Sir."

"He needs you, Minion. I've always thought so."

"Thank you, Roxanne."

Roxanne had one more question that she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure how to phrase it. "Minion, you don't have to answer this question, and I hope you won't think that I am at all overstepping my bounds, but Megamind's family, what were they like?"

Minion immediately sobered. "Well, it's not really my place to say anything about them, and I don't actually remember much. I was still really young when I was chosen, so I don't have much memory of the details. However, what I can tell you, I will. I do remember that Megamind had both a mother and a father, and he also had a sister. I can also remember that they seemed to be a very happy family. They loved each other very much."

"They must have, if they sacrificed themselves to save him." Said Roxanne, quietly, "I wish that I could have met them."

"I'm sure they would have loved you." said Minion.

It was not the end of the conversation. It continued over the next few hours, until Roxanne had to leave. She felt like she had gained a deeper understanding of Minion, as well as a greater appreciation of the role he played in Megamind's life. She hoped that it would be only the first of many breakfasts that she could spend with him.

* * *

That night at the restaurant Melisande had arrived early, waiting anxiously for Bernard to show up. Of course, he showed up right on the dot at 7:00. "I wasn't sure if you would show up." Said Melisande, as he sat down.

"Why wouldn't I? We had a date, didn't we?"

"I don't know, I'm just not used to this whole thing."

"Oh, so this is the first time that you've dated someone?"

"Well, no not really. The first time I've ever actually cared about what the other person thought, yes."

"Oh, right." As the waiter brought them their menus, Bernard said, "You know, I've still got a lot of questions about you, and us."

"I think that I owe you some answers, so ask away." Said Melisande.

"You're from an alien planet. I can imagine that what you're used to is completely different on Earth. I don't even know what to ask you to begin."

"I can imagine that you're only exposure to my race in the form of Metro Man, hasn't been the best representation of what Nairians are." I'll be happy to set the record straight."

"Really?"

"Of course not, and if I may say so, among his own race, Wayne Scott's behavior would have been condemned outright. Males are \ still accorded a lower place in our society than females. It's something we're working on, but it's hard to undo several generations' worth of thinking in just a few centuries."

"You're a matriarchal society? Like elephants?"

"Elephants? You mean those big grey animals that have the thick skin and horns?"

"No, those are rhinos. Elephants have a trunk and are significantly larger."

"Oh, that's right." said Melisande, "Yes, I suppose. Actually, in Nairian society, it's the females who are the heroes, and the men are the ones who get rescued."

"I see," said Bernard, "Then I take it you don't have as many men who are as arrogant as Wayne? I mean, he's not a terrible person, and when he's not talking about himself, he's not bad. But, he can be something of an egoist."

"No, that would be for certain. Pride in a Nairian is common enough, I suppose. But our philosophers hold that there is a difference between self-serving egotism and pride in one's race. It's wisdom in a Nairian who can tell the difference."

"You seem to have realized the difference. That's why your cover was so good, I think. Because you never acted like him."

Grinning, Melisande acknowledged this complement by raising her glass of wine in salute. "I like you the better for thinking that even if it's not always true."

"But you can't deny that you have those powers. You're stronger than me; I felt it when you kiss me. What do you do with it?"

"We learn to control it. Another thing our philosophers say and what Nairian children are taught from our earliest days is that using our strength only for the good of others is the highest way we can use out powers."

"But why do you have those powers? How did you even evolve them?"

"According to the science of our archaeology, our species is avian in descent. Our scientists believe that our race evolved from a giant, predatory bird of prey. It explains our ability to fly, our sight and our speed."

"That's… fascinating." Said Bernard, after a moment, "And what about the laser vision?"

"Oh, that's a male Nairian thing. The females don't have it, though we are immune to the effects. It's believed that the males did most of the hunting most of the time in our prehistoric culture. They needed the laser vision to hunt down their prey."

"Interesting. You don't mind if I have any of that, do you? I mean, I don't really know where your people stand on interracial dating."

"We're quite open to it, actually. There are quite a few Nairians who are married to Tandarens."

"Really? Judging by the behavior of Megamind and Wayne, I was sure that there had to have been a war between your two worlds."

"A long time ago, but we've been at peace for many years now. We wouldn't have been able to survive after the failure of the Great Experiment twenty-eight years ago."

"The what?"

"The disaster that destroyed our star and the planets of Tandara and Nyra." Melisande's face was troubled, "To be quite honest, I don't remember anything about that. I never saw Nyra. My mother went into labor with me from the shock of seeing the planet destroyed."

"Wow, that's sad."

A somewhat awkward silence subsisted between them. The waiter came with their order and they each took a few bites before Melisande spoke once more. "So, what other questions did you have?"

"Well, I have a lot, but asking them all would take several hours. I suppose the only thing that I want to ask is, where does that leave us right now? I need to tell you, Melisande, I think that I'm beginning to have feelings for you. You're unlike anyone that I've ever met. I think that I could love you in time. But, if there's some rule or something that is against that, then we should quit right now, to spare both of us anymore pain."

Melisande took a few seconds to consider her answer. "You raise several valid points, Bernard. To be quite honest, this is very unexpected for me. I certainly didn't plan it this way. But, I do believe that I could return any feelings that you had for me. Now, as for there being any sort of rule, as I said, there is no stigma attached to interracial marriage on my world. But I don't know how much that rule might apply to the present situation, where I'm supposed to be undercover on an alien world. So, to be quite honest, I don't really know where this could lead us. There is no definite direction."

"Well, I'm normally all one for following the rules, but this time, I don't think so. I would like to try and still see you. There has to be some way that you could do that and stay within the terms of your mission."

Melisande smiled. "Well, they have been asking about a report on human courtship protocols. I think that would tailor nicely to our relationship, don't you?"

Bernard returned the smile. "I would be happy to give you some pointers. For now, let's just see where the future takes us."

"I could learn to like that idea very much." said Melisande, as she raised her glass of wine, "To the future."

Bernard returned the toast. "To the future."

* * *

Please read and review. I should warn all of you that from here on out, this story is going to take a significantly darker tone. There will be some moments of lightness, but the drama is about to start. I hope that you'll all stay with me through this.

Next chapter: Kaitoia begins to experience the visions which brought her to Earth. The first will put to the test everything that she thought she would never question, but when it comes to Megamind, she is beginning to realize that she would risk a lot.


	30. The First Vision

I've decided to post a double helping of chapters because this one is kind of short. As I have said, this story is going to get a little darker, but I will hope that you all will enjoy it.

The First Vision:

When she had come to Earth, Kaitoia had had three visions. These visions had been more vivid and real than any she had ever experienced, and she had somehow known that all of them would come true. But, ever since landing on Earth, the visions had suddenly stopped. She had nearly forgotten about them in the midst of all the rest that she was doing.

But the future is always coming, in ways that none can predict. These visions had merely lain dormant, until events came to pass that reawakened them, forcing Kaitoia to question everything that she had once thought certain.

The first vision to return was the one which she had not been able to piece together at all. She found herself standing in a room that was completely white, white walls and curtains, machines and beds, all of it was white. The air smelled musty and sharp with chemicals and cleaning fluid, and something else as well, sickness. She could sense that there were many here in this place, all of them were in some sort of pain, by turns healing or heading towards death. She realized that she was in a hospital. She couldn't imagine what she was doing there, until she saw the patient in front of her, a white-haired man who appeared to be in his mid-sixties, with a white mustache. He was pale; machines were hooked up to him and she could sense that he was barely hanging on.

"He was like a father to me." Kaitoia was stunned when Megamind appeared on the opposite side of her, seemingly out of nowhere. He was staring at the man with an expression of such deep grief, it pierced her to the heart to see it, and made her want to try and ease that pain any way that she could.

"What do you mean?"

"The Warden, Charles Hayworth, he was like a father to me." said Megamind, "Strange to think of him like that when he was, by all my appearances my jailer. But he, he taught me right from wrong. He taught me to have a conscience, even when I was a villain. It sometimes seemed like his voice was there, guiding me, telling me not to hurt anyone." He shook his head. "I never told him that. I never told him half the things that I should have."

Kaitoia didn't understand what was going on. "Why are you telling me this?"

Megamind looked at her, and for a moment, Kaitoia felt her heart reaching out to him, as if trying to touch a kindred soul. It was entirely spontaneous, and one that she wasn't able to control, but the sheer strength of it confused her, and even made her a little scared.

But Megamind's next words nearly floored her. "Because you can save him."

Kaitoia stared at him. "What?"

"I know you can. You have the power."

Kaitoia did not understand how Megamind could have discovered her powers. She had been so careful about not revealing them, and now Megamind had guessed her identity. But, strangely, that part wasn't what bothered her. It was because, against all logic, she was actually considering granting Megamind's request. She knew that she could heal Charles. His injuries were well within her power to mend. But, it wasn't just because she could do it. She wanted to do it because she sensed how important this was to Megamind, how much this one life meant to him, and she wanted to do anything to spare him any pain.

But against that were all her years of training, of following the rules and regulations. She wasn't supposed to interfere in the lives of the humans, merely to observe. She couldn't do something that might very well destroy any chance of a peaceful first contact.

"I can't do that."

"You have to," pleaded Megamind, coming close to her, his eyes beseeching, "You have to understand. He means so much to me. Wouldn't you do the same for someone you cared about?"

"Yes, I would, but this isn't-"

"What if it were me? Would you save me?"

"I-" Kaitoia stopped, but stopped abruptly. Faced with the question, she realized, that yes, she would do the same for Megamind. In her short time on Earth, he had become important enough to her that she would do whatever it took to save his life.

And it was in light of that startling revelation that she would wake up, in a cold sweat, the images and feelings always clear in her mind. And always, with one question that she was never able to answer: if she was willing to save Megamind, what did that mean? How could a person she had only known for only six months come to mean so much to her? Tandarens did not easily form bonds outside of their own family circle. Friends, yes, but bonds of telepathic strength took time to develop, that was why Tandaren courtships could last for years.

She shouldn't have formed such a close bond with Megamind, certainly not one of this strength, so soon. And yet, it was growing. Her role as camerawoman to Roxanne meant that she saw a lot of Megamind, especially recently. And each time, she could feel that bond becoming stronger.

She did not know what it meant, but the intensity of the bond was enough to frighten her. And now, the visions had stated again. That could only mean one thing: soon, very soon, the event it depicted would come to pass, and she would be forced to make a choice between following her heart and following her head.


	31. First Appearence

First Appearance:

Roxanne was working late at the studio that night. She was catching up on some work, as well as putting together the report for the next evening's newscast. There had been no outstanding incidents for nearly a week, but no one was under the impression that it would last. Indeed, it was merely feared that this was just a calm before a much bigger storm.

Roxanne was the only person in the studio, besides the late night security. She was almost finished editing a little bit of Kaitlin's footage she had shot during that day. She normally would have let Kaitlin do it herself, but Roxanne had noticed her friend looked rather tired of late. When she had asked her about it, Kaitlin had said that she hadn't been sleeping well for the past few nights. Roxanne had understood as Kaitlin had been working nearly as hard as she had been, and so she had told her to go home early and she would finish up her work.

It was around midnight. Roxanne had never really been bothered by working late. She had 147 hovering nearby as well, so she wasn't really concerned. What she didn't know, was that she was being stalked.

The first hint that she had to worry was when the lights suddenly and inexplicably went out. "Hey, Frank," She shouted to the man who was on guard duty. "Could you turn the lights back on? I'm still here."

She received no answer but chilling silence. That was when she began to get nervous. She rummaged through her desk drawer until she found a flashlight. She clicked it on and beamed the light around the darkened room. 147, alerted by her nervousness, began to whir and click, searching for any threat.

For several minutes, the threatening silence continued. Roxanne swallowed hard, trying to keep her heart from beating to hard. She couldn't let Hal know that he was scaring her. When she had had enough of the silence, she said, "Hal, quite hiding in the shadows. I know that you're there. Sneaking around isn't your style."

She was completely startled when, instead of a smart aleck remark from Hal, she heard the cold voice of a woman. "You are right there, Miss Ritchi. This is hardly something that Hal would come up with."

The voice issued from the darkness with no clear direction, and Roxanne had no idea where the woman might be. She turned around slowly, scanning the beam of light in every direction. She didn't see the shadow which was looming up behind her, not until the voice spoke again. "And I must say, I am a little disappointed that you thought I was Hal."

Roxanne wasn't fast enough, but 147 was. She let loose an angry squeal, preparing to fire her laser beam at the intruder. Roxanne turned around at the exact moment to see the woman raise one of her hands. The air around 147 coalesced together, turning into a solid block of ice that encased the little robot so effectively that she couldn't move. Roxanne suddenly realized with a sinking feeling that she was defenseless. The woman in front of her was tall with long, black hair, pale skin and eyes that were like a frozen river, blue and cold. She wore stylish clothes, so she obviously had a great deal of money to her name. She also didn't seem unduly nervous or wary at all. In fact, there was an easy smile on her face, as though she were greeting an old friend that she had not seen in years.

"Hal Stewart does not have this level of sophistication or subtlety. You would know about that, I am sure. That makes him a little tedious to deal with, but then again, he is also quite easy to handle. Fill his head with empty promises, or give him a task of pointless destruction, and he is quite happy."

Roxanne stared at the woman. "Who are you?"

The woman's eyebrows rose. "You already know who I am." She nodded to 147 in the ice block. "Doesn't my handy work speak for itself?"

Roxanne suddenly realized with dawning comprehension that she actually did know who this was. "You're Typhoon, Tabitha Davenport, the head of The DOOM Syndicate."

Tabitha smiled, and Roxanne shuddered when she saw just how much like a wolf she looked like. "Right on all three counts, Miss Ritchi, very good. I am impressed. But than again, I suppose that you have had information from an inside source. My fool sister has been blabbing about me, I suppose."

"She warned us about you, if that's what you mean." Said Roxanne, taking step backward, as if trying to put distance between herself and Tabitha, which was true, but she was also trying to get to her cell phone, which was on her desk.

"Yes, I supposed that she would. She was always one to worry incessantly, a common mark of the older sibling. No doubt that is what she saw in your brother."

Roxanne tensed, anger flashing in her eyes at the mention of Greg. "Leave my brother alone, Typhoon, or whatever your name is. He has nothing to do with this."

"Oh, but he does, Roxanne. He had everything to do with it when he met my sister. She weakened herself by giving into her emotions, and now she will never dare to cross me. She knows what will happen if she does. But, don't look so worried. Right now, I have no interest in either of them, not when something so much more interesting is in my sights."

Roxanne took another step backwards. She was within reaching distance of the phone now. If she could just get it in her hand, this nightmare would all be over. She had to keep Tabitha distracted. "Why are you here? What do you want with me?"

"I want to talk to you, Roxanne. Nothing more, I think that you could have some very valuable information that I could use."

"Sorry, I'm a reporter, but I don't just give out information to anyone, and especially not to you."

"It's nothing that you would feel uncomfortable about."

"Sorry, I don't think so." She suddenly made a dive for her phone, grabbed it in her hand and turned to Tabitha triumphantly. "And you had better start running, because I have Megamind on speed dial, one word from me and he'll be here to take care of you."

However, Roxanne had spoken to soon. No sooner were the words out of her mouth, than Tabitha held up one finger, and in the air above Roxanne, a globe of water appeared. It splashed onto her hand and arm, and Roxanne yelped in pain when she felt that it was scalding hot. The phone shorted out and dropped to the floor, useless.

Tabitha had not even batted an eye. "Why do you think that they call me Typhoon, Roxanne?" said Tabitha, all traces of easy humor gone from her tone, replaced by a voice of danger and cold, "Do you happen to know that the air around us is saturated with water, or that the human body is nearly 90% liquid? Water gives life, or it can destroy. Do not underestimate me again, Roxanne. I am being lenient with you, believe me."

Roxanne was holding her arm, the skin already beginning to show signs of burns. She looked up at Tabitha. She was not going to beg, but she still didn't understand what was going on. "If you are here to kidnap me, just get it over with."

Tabitha laughed a cold, harsh sound that resembled that of sharp, winter icicles. "Kidnap you? Don't be silly, Roxanne. I'm not here to kidnap you. If I was, you never would have seen me coming. No, Roxanne, I am here for something far different."

"What?"

Tabitha stepped closer, and Roxanne shivered, for the very air around seemed to have become colder, and the light in Tabitha's eyes was only a few steps away from insanity. "This is a first appearance, Roxanne. I wanted it to be good. Can you not see? Hal may be an idiot, but he has played his role well. Metro City has been thrown into chaos, and it is during that moment, when I make my entrance. And this isn't the end, Roxanne. Oh no, it is merely the beginning, the beginning of something far bigger and grander than anything your boyfriend ever came up with. So, you might want to tell him: he has met his match, and there is no way to stop the coming tide."

Roxanne, despite the fact that she was scared, still stared defiantly up into Tabitha's eyes, "Megamind will never back down. He will defeat you. He never gives up."

"So clever and so naïve. Of course, he will fight. I know that. That's what I'm counting on. He will try, the heroes always do, especially the ones who used to be villains. They always think that they have something to atone for. That's what makes them such easy targets. But rest assured, Roxanne, Megamind will fall. And his will be just another story, one that will fade and be forgotten."

"You're wrong." said Roxanne, "Good will always triumph, even if it seems that evil is stronger for awhile. I believe in that more than ever. And if you're so tough, than why are you telling me this instead of Megamind? Can't you even face him, or are you as brave as you make yourself out to be?"

"Don't worry, Roxanne. I will tell him. But not yet. I have something special planned for my first meeting with him. I only wanted to get his attention, and I have often found that this is a pretty good way to do that. But, I'm afraid that I must be running along. It's a very busy life being a villain, so many places to destroy and lives to end; it all can get very stressful."

She turned around and walked a few steps away. At the door to the newsroom, she stopped and looked back at Roxanne. "Lovely to meet you, Roxanne. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did." And with one last mocking smile, Typhoon turned and disappeared.

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Melisande and Bernard's relationship deepens, as Melisande explains some of the secrets of her homeworld. But when Kaitoia finds out, her friendship with Melisande will be strained to the breaking point.


	32. Written in the Stars

Written the Stars:

That same night, Melisande and Bernard were conducting further "research" on the courtship of the human species. In actuality, they were going on another date. The two of them had gone on a few such dates over the past few weeks, Melisande exploring what the basic rituals of human courtship were. They included going to dinner and a movie or play, dancing, picnics, and an occasional walk in the park. Each date was giving her a better idea not only of how humans worked through the problem of romance, but also a better insight into Bernard's personality. She had often thought that going out with one person over a period of time would get boring after awhile. But, she was finding the opposite to be true. She learned more and more about Bernard with each date. And sometimes the times when they didn't say anything, were the moments that Melisande felt most in tune with him. With each passing day, the dates became less about research and more about falling even deeper and irrevocably in love with him.

It had come to the point where Melisande wanted to repay all that Bernard was showing her, and give him a taste of what he culture was like. She also knew that there were things about her life that he needed to know. As their feelings for each other deepened, she felt that she owed it to him to let him know all that he was getting into.

The date was actually to a location they had visited earlier in their friendship. It was the Hitchcock Observatory, specifically the research side of the building. The Observatory had an impressive telescope, second only to the Hubble in terms of range and power. However, not even that would have been powerful enough for Melisande to show Bernard what she wanted. So, just for that one night, she had outfitted the telescope with some Nairian technology in order to boost its signal.

"So, what did you want to show me?" Bernard asked, as the two of them came into the room where the massive telescope resided.

"Something which I hope you will find as special as I do." She led him over to the telescope. "It took a little doing, but I think that I have the coordinates calibrated correctly." She indicated the eye piece. "Go ahead look."

Bernard looked into the telescope, and saw a bright star that was far distant from Earth, but which seemed close enough for him to touch. Circling the star were five planets. "Are those planets?" He asked.

Melisande nodded and smiled. "You know how you once told me that you used to look out your telescope and wonder if there was life on the planets which you were searching for."

"Yes." Bernard looked at Melisande, his face filled with amazement. "Are you telling me that that's your home system?"

"Yes, the third planet from the sun, that's my home planet, Chandos III. Chandos IV is the home of the Tandaren culture. I wanted to show you where I cam from."

Bernard looked back into the telescope and just stared at the planets for a long time. He could hardly believe that he was looking at an entirely new planet that no human had ever seen before, and that was actually populated. "It's beautiful."

"I was hoping that you would say that." said Melisande, "And it's even more beautiful in person. I'll take you there someday, I hope."

Bernard looked at her. "You said that your mom gave birth to you the day that your home planet was destroyed. Is she still alive?"

"Oh, yes. Actually, my entire family is alive, all seven of my siblings."

"Seven?" said Bernard, with some incredulity.

"Yes, seven. That's actually small for Nairians. Big families are a species trait."

"What would they think of me? Your family?"

Melisande didn't answer for a moment, and Bernard could have sworn that she looked awkward. "To be quite honest, once they got over the novelty of you, I think that they would like you a great deal. I have always wondered what you would think about them, though."

"Why? I'm the one who's the odd alien out."

"Bernard, there's a few things that I need to tell you about me. I mean, I maybe should have told you before, but I wasn't sure if I could trust you with them."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, remember how I told you that Nairians are a matriarchal society? The High Matriarch is the leader of our people. And it just so happens that she is my mother."

Bernard stared at Melisande in shock. "You're a princess?"

Melisande looked even more embarrassed at this. "Well, yes, I suppose I am in the strict sense of the word. But please don't start thinking that your behavior around me should change. I know how you humans react to royalty, but it's not the same with Nairians. See, I am the daughter of the High Matriarch now, but once my mother dies, I could very well be the second cousin once removed from the new one. I suppose that you could say we are an elected monarchy. Members of the Royal family run for the honor of the title and voted in by the people."

"So, you wouldn't stand any chance of inheriting the title?"

Melisande shook her head. "No, the title of High Matriarch can go from mother to daughter, but more often than not, it goes from sister to niece, or aunt to cousin. There's just no way of predicting it. Even if the throne were inherited, I would stand little chance of getting it. I'm the youngest in my family, and I have no desire to run for the title. So, while I am accorded a certain amount of honor because I am the daughter of the High Matriarch, it doesn't really make me royalty. So, I'm not above you or anything."

"Well, that's a load off my mind. I'm not sure that I would be cut out for a princess."

Melisande's face was serious, and she came forward to place her hands on his chest. "If I even wanted to be the High Matriarch, the highest honor my people can bestow, I wouldn't want anyone else but you. Bernard, I know that we have been taking things slow and one day at a time, but I can't deny my feelings for you any longer. I've fallen in love with you, and you need to know that no matter what my family standing might be, you would by my only choice."

Bernard had to admit that he hadn't been expecting such a frank statement of Melisande's feelings so very soon, but at the same time, considering who she was, he should have been expecting it all along. Despite the initial surprise, however, he found himself smiling, as he raised one hand to cup her face. "Well, I think that it's only fair to tell you that I have fallen in love with you, Melisande. I've never met anyone quite like you, and no one before you has ever made me feel so alive."

Melisande smiled when she heard these words, and yet her eyes were still serious. "And that is why there is one other thing that you need to know about my culture, something that is perhaps even more serious than my heritage."

"What could be more serious than that?"

Melisande took a step back from her, and it was a long time before she was fully able to find the words for what she wanted to say. "Bernard, remember how I told you how our species had evolved, the way our strength and speed came about?"

"Yes, of course."

"And you remember how I said that the women don't have the laser vision? It's because we don't need it. We have an adaptation which is even more powerful, and in some ways, even more dangerous."

"Go on."

"In your language, the words we use for it mean death fire. It's a state of extreme and in some ways, nearly uncontrollable rage. Our scientists seem to think that it probably evolved out of our first ancestors. The females were in charge of protecting the family groups from enemies. When the black fire is triggered, our minds become fixed on a single target, and nothing can stop us from pursuing that prey. Anything or anyone that gets in our way is knocked aside or destroyed. Our eyes turn completely black, you can't see the iris or the white of the eye; it's just pure, hard, glittering black. Our strength increases ten fold and we are unable to distinguish friend from foe. All that matter is protecting what we care for, and destroying those who would seek to harm them."

Bernard was silent through this entire recital, and he was silent for a good few minutes afterward. It was clear that he was thinking of what she had said, considering what all the consequences might be. "Has that ever happened to you?"

Melisande shook her head. "No, because it can only be triggered by an extreme circumstance. Centuries of evolution has dampened that instinct. But you need to know that part of me exists, Bernard. You're in my life now, and if anything bad were to happen to you, I don't know how I would react."

"Why have you told me all of this?" asked Bernard.

"Because, you need to know just how different my species is from yours. I mean, I know that we were expecting it, but still, you have a right to know and make your own decision whether or not you can cope with them."

"In that case, thank you for trusting me with what you have said. I am sure that not a lot of people, Human or Nairian would be willing to go as far as you have. But you didn't have to worry about me calling this off, if that was what you were afraid of. I can accept all that you have told me. It doesn't matter to me how different we are if we still share the same idea of what a relationship built on love and respect means."

"Really, none of what I have said to you puts off me at all?"

"No, why should it?" Bernard came over and put his arms around her. He leaned his forehead against hers and said, "I knew what I was getting into, Melisande. I couldn't expect this to be a normal relationship. There will be challenges to overcome for both of us. But, I am willing to put up with quite a lot to make it work."

Melisande smiled, relief flooding through her when she heard those words and the earnestness behind them. "I can't begin to tell you how happy that makes me. No one's opinion has ever mattered to me as much as yours does, certainly no man's. I want to make this relationship work to. You know, my people have a saying: they say that the major events of our lives are written in the stars, especially the relationships which we find. Love between two people is the most important connection, and the story that the stars write for us can never be broken."

Bernard smiled. "Written in the stars? I like the sound of that, especially since it seems to fit our story so well. After all, you traveled across the stars to find me, and maybe, when I was kid looking up at the sky, you were looking at the same stars as I was. It makes you think, doesn't it?"

"Yes, it really does. It makes me think that some things are meant to be, like us."

They kissed, a sign of the fact that they acknowledged the differences in the other, and loved each other the better for it. And yet, there are some things which are similar across the universe, and the power of love, especially a love that is written in the stars, is one of them.

* * *

Melisande came home that night feeling happier than she ever had been in her life. Her head was filled with Bernard and the feelings that he stirred within her. Whoever would have thought that falling in love would have been so exhilarating? She had been something of a party girl back on Chandos III, and she had never had a steady partner. Now, she could understand why so many people were willing to commit to one person.

However, she had never been very good at hiding her feelings, especially from a certain highly telepathic Tandaren. Indeed, as Kaitoia had said nothing about the fact she had more or less forgotten to be cautious. And as her mind was so filled with Bernard, it was inevitable what greeted her when she entered the apartment.

"Melisande, how could you?" Were the first words that she heard, spoken in a tone of anger, accusation and acute disappointment. Kaitoia was standing in the living room, her arms crossed and glaring at Melisande.

"What? What did I do?"

"You know perfectly well what you did." spat Kaitoia, darkly, "Your thoughts are as loud as if you had shouted from the rooftops. How could you even think of endangering our position by involving yourself emotionally with a human?"

"Oh, is that what this is about?" demanded Melisande, "I don't see that that is any of your business, Kaitoia."

"It most certainly is, Melisande. Anything that could put out position in jeopardy is my concern."

"Bernard is no danger to us. You must have thought so yourself since you didn't wipe his mind when he found out who we were."

"There is a distinct difference between a cautious understanding and recklessly throwing yourself into a dangerous situation."

"It's not a dangerous situation." Said Melisande, "Bernard is sweet and funny and charming. He's a gentleman, which is a far cry from any other male on this planet. You should be happy for me."

"Happy? How do you know that he isn't using you? How do you know that he wouldn't compromise you at any second?"

"I trust him, Kaitoia. Isn't that what people do who love each other? Don't you trust Kerestan?"

"Of course, I do. But that's different. He's-"

"A Tandaren, I suppose. And because Bernard is a human, he must not be worthy of me."

"That's not what I meant, and you know it. Melisande, we barely know anything about these humans. Our mission was meant to observe, to see if the humans could handle first contact with another species. If you involve yourself emotionally, any chance of that could be destroyed."

Melisande snorted. "You and your precious rules. You know that is one of you personal defects that I have found to be most annoying over the years. There is more to life than rules, Kaitoia, and more to this mission than simply observation. You're such a hypocrite. You stand there lecturing about not getting involved emotionally, and yet you have formed friendships with Megamind and Roxanne."

"That's not the same thing."

"Isn't it? I don't see how. You seem to enjoy their presence quite a lot. And I've seen the way that you look at Megamind. It's almost as if sometimes the two of you are in each other's heads and can hear each other's thoughts. And then with Roxanne, you would go to any lengths to help her. I know that you would. How dare you stand there and accuse me of putting this mission in danger because of my emotions, when you're standing there doing exactly the same thing."

Kaitoia was starting to lose her temper, partially because some of what Melisande said was true, and if she could observe it, she must not have been hiding it well at all. "I am not doing anything to endanger this mission, Melisande. But I can see now why the Nairians wanted a Tandaren to accompany you. Your emotions are too strong, and they knew that they would get you into trouble. They knew that you wouldn't be able to resist it. Can't you ever learn?"

The sharp words on both sides hung in the air, as the two former friends glared at each other. They had both stated in a few short phrases the differences of both species, the strong and quick emotions of the Nairians, and the cautious, logical Tandarens on one side. It had been those differences which had led to so many centuries of war, and that could still lead to terrible misunderstandings.

"Tell me one thing." said Melisande, at last, "If you are so eager to keep Bernard and I apart, why didn't you stop me from falling in love with him? Why wait until now?"

"Because I thought that it was just a passing fancy. You didn't declare anything, even though I knew that there was something growing there. But tonight, you spoke your emotions, and it was all too obvious."

Melisande momentarily cursed herself for being so unguarded in her thoughts. When Kaitoia saw that, she thought that for a moment that Melisande regretted her actions. She took a step forward and said in a gentler tone, "I blame myself, for not stopping this sooner. This really isn't your fault."

Melisande's eyes snapped up, and they were burning with rage. For a split second, the pride and strength of her ancestors reared its head and even Kaitoia stopped in her tracks at the sight of it. "I don't want your pity or your censure, Kaitoia." She snarled, "I don't regret any of my actions, or my feelings. Unlike you, I can accept them and not be ashamed of them. And nothing you can do will keep me from Bernard. If you even try to come between us, so help me I will make you regret it."

Kaitoia was utterly speechless. She stared at Melisande in disbelief. She had never heard her friend speak so, to her or anyone else. And she would have been lying if she were not just a little afraid of Melisande at that moment.

Melisande herself felt something that she had never felt before. There was a burning in her veins and a tightening of her muscles, as if they were making ready to spring. Above all, there was a desire to protect Bernard from any sign of danger. She didn't know that she could be so strong, and it almost frightened her as much as it had Kaitoia. She closed her eyes, and forced herself to relax. But it only worked slightly. Abruptly, she turned and went for the door.

"Where are you going?" questioned Kaitoia.

"Out." said Melisande, "I'll grab a room at a hotel. I don't know when I'll be back, if ever." She slammed the door and left Kaitoia standing, staring after her.

She heard a rustling in the room beyond and turned around to see Seren, looking worried. "That did not sound like it went well."

"No, no it didn't." said Kaitoia, sitting down. She suddenly had a terrible feeling that she had made a severe error in judgment. She and Melisande had never argued like this. Kaitoia still knew that Melisande was wrong, and yet, perhaps she should not have confronted her about it in such a manner. Surely, she should have handled it better.

A rift had formed in her friendship where there had been none before. She did not know if it could be mended. But judging from the fact that Kaitoia had begun to feel that a great storm was about to break, perhaps that was not so unexpected. This felt like it was only the beginning.

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Next chapter: Kaitoia's storm of emotions is only beginning. Her edeepest convictions are about to be put to the test, espcially when she is given the choice between standing by the rules or breaking them for the sake of someone who she is unconsciously starting to care for as deeply as anyone in her life.


	33. Walking the Line

Walking the Line:

Melisande did not come back. For two days, Kaitoia waited for her, but she neither heard nor saw her in all that time. Any attempt on her part to try and get in contact with her friend was met with cold silence. She was beginning to fear that she had broken her friendship with Melisande beyond repair. It was unfortunate, for without Melisande's company, she began to feel very lonely in a city that was populated only by humans. She was an alien living under a disguise far from her home planet and people. She had never believed that it could be such a lonely experience.

Those feelings of loneliness caused her, however unconsciously, to seek out the company of Megamind more than ever. Though she couldn't reveal her presence to him, yet he out of anyone else would probably best understand her situation. He was not averse to the company. Apparently life had not been treating him very well either. For while there had been no direct attacks on Metro City in quite a few weeks, Tabitha Davenport had made her presence known, by a direct assault on Roxanne. She had broken into KMTV's station, killed the security guard on duty and confronted Roxanne, with a dire warning that this was the only the beginning. In addition, she had scalded Roxanne's arm with her powers, a frightening indication of just how strong and merciless she was. In the light of that, Megamind knew that a final conflict was inevitable.

He had explained all of this in a frenzy of emotion to Kaitoia one night when she was visiting the warehouse. Roxanne was still recovering from her wound, and had gone to rest in her apartment. Minion was busy washing the dishes, so that meant that she and Megamind were left, for a rare moment, alone.

"I just feel so powerless." Said Megamind, "I've never felt this way, even when I was a villain at the height of my power. This opponent that I'm dealing with is completely unpredictable. I feel as though she is holding all of the cards, and that she will pull something that I won't be able to stop." He shook his head, "I never thought that she would go after Roxanne. Now, I don't know if I could even turn my back without something happening to the people I care about."

"I wish I knew what to say." Said Kaitoia, after a moment of silence.

Megamind sighed deeply. "No, no, you shouldn't feel like you need to say anything. There's nothing you can do and I shouldn't be heaping my problems on you. It's just that, I feel that I can't show Roxanne or Minion or any of the people who live in Metro City just how much this…" He trailed off, and looked down, uncertain how to put into words all that he was feeling.

But Kaitoia did not need to hear them. She didn't have to read his mind. Somehow, she just knew, in her heart what Megamind was feeling. And there was again that strange desire to alleviate his pain, or at least protect him from it, in any way that she could. "You're frightened, aren't you? Not of any harm that may come to you. You're not even frightened of Tabitha. What really makes you scared is what she might do to the people you care about."

Megamind raised his eyes to stare at Kaitoia in surprise. "Yes, that's exactly what I'm feeling. You can't begin to understand what Roxanne means to me. I was so alone for such a long time, but Roxanne was never afraid of me. Even when she was my victim, she somehow seemed to understand me. And Minion, he's always been there by my side, even I treated him so badly. I couldn't bear to lose either of them."

"I think, perhaps, I can understand a little bit of what that fear is." said Kaitoia, who found herself thinking about Kerestan and Seren, bonds that were quite similar to Megamind's in several respects.

"Do you have any idea what it is like," said Megamind, "to be all alone, to know that there is nothing else like you in the universe?"

Kaitoia knew well what he was implying. The loss of his home world, the thought that he was the only one of his kind left; it must have been a terrible thing for him to realize when he was growing up. No wonder he had turned out the way that he had. Kaitoia suddenly realized that the pain he had gone through must have been worse in some ways for him than it had been for her. She had, at least, the knowledge that there were other Tandarens who were going though the same thing as she was. Megamind had had none of that support. He had truly been alone.

"No, I suppose that I can't." Tentatively, she placed a hand over his own. Megamind looked into his eyes, somewhat surprised by the contact. "But, I also know that there is strength within you that I have not seen in many people. Remember, without fear there can be no courage."

"You really think that?" asked Megamind.

"Yes, it's a philosophy which has gotten me through some very hard times."

Megamind and Kaitoia stared into each other's eyes. They could feel once again, that strange sense of connection which they had noticed since the very beginning. Only now, it was quite apparent to them both, that it was growing stronger. Megamind could hardly believe that he had found someone like Kaitoia. He never needed to search for the words to describe the way that he was feeling, and she always seemed to know what to say in response. But it was also in their silences that they both found that the depths of that connection were growing. Never before had Megamind felt this sort of a connection with another person. He was constantly reminded that it was absolutely nothing like what he shared with Roxanne, and yet it was beginning to mean just as much to him.

It was doing nothing for Kaitoia's own confusion on matters, however. She never seemed to think of the risks when she was with Megamind, so entrenched as she was in the bond that was forming. But when she was left on her own after the event, she always felt more than a little fear at the intensity of those feelings. As she was driving back to her apartment after that evening's dinner at the Lair, she was unusually silent. Seren, who was sitting on the seat beside her, was watching her. She had been silent during the greater part of the evening, not even communicating with her mistress via their telepathic link. She had been merely observing, and had been observing for the past few weeks. Now, she felt that it was time to bring the subject into the open.

"Mistress, how long are you going to go on denying this?"

The abruptness of the question could not fail to catch Kaitoia's attention. She turned to Seren, with surprise on her face. "What?"

"You know very well what I mean. You cannot keep on ignoring this connection that you have with Megamind forever."

"What does that matter? It's not interfering with anything."

"I am not referring to anything that has to do with the mission, Mistress. What I am thinking of could have much greater consequences. I am speaking of your emotional well being."

"My emotional well-being? What has that got to do with anything?"

"A great deal. You know how very rare it is for Tandarens to form these bonds so quickly. You should not have formed one with Megamind after only knowing him for six months, regardless of the fact that he is the only Tandaren on this planet."

"I feel compassion for him, Seren. Shouldn't I? Megamind lost his entire planet, and he has no idea as yet that there are others of his kind out there. I am hoping to be able to tell him soon, but the opportunity just hasn't presented itself. And I can't tell him until this crisis passes over. He has too much to deal without the added pressure that such a revelation would bring."

"That has nothing to do with it, Mistress, and you know it. I am not blind to the niceties of Tandaren bonds. You're not simply reading Megamind's thought, Kaitoia; you are reading his very soul, without even being aware of it. You seem to know exactly what he is feeling, you seek to protect and comfort him whenever you can. You and Megamind are drawn to each other, in a way that I have never seen before with you. You are opening yourself more than I have seen with anyone except for Gargi and Kerestan. No other living creature has ever won your trust like this, not so quickly."

Kaitoia was silent for a long time, her hands gripping the steering wheel, as her mind struggled to come to terms with Seren's words. She had long known that this was happening, but she hadn't wanted to face it. Now, she could not deny it when it was so explicitly laid before her.

However, she still didn't know what it meant, and that meant that her age-old fears of the unknown were now rearing their heads once more. She feared anything that she could not explain, or that she couldn't predict. And this thing with Megamind was still full of questions and unknowns. "I'm not going to make the same mistake that Melisande did." She said, knowing that that really didn't acknowledge anything at all, "I won't allow my emotions to get the better of me."

"I still think that you were a little too hard on her. After all, you know how quickly the Nairians form their attachments, and most often those attachments prove to be quite accurate. But that is not the issue here, nor is it the mission. I worry for you, Mistress. I don't want to think what this might do to you, if you don't face it. And you will have to face it, Mistress. You will not be able to avoid it forever."

Again, Kaitoia was quiet for a long time. Minions were assigned to Gifteds because all too often those who were blessed with those extraordinary gifts could become blind to the most obvious of things. It was the task of the Minion to guide them through such moments, to help them see what they would not have been able to otherwise. Kaitoia knew that when Seren spoke such words, she would do well to listen. "How am I supposed to find out the answer when I don't even know what the actual question is?"

"I believe that the only way to answer that is to let yourself face your fears, not run from them or hide from them. You have to let yourself walk the line, Mistress, instead of staying safely on the one side of it. Can you do that? You won't be able to get over if any other way."

Kaitoia took a deep breath. "I will try."

Their conversation was brought to an end at this point by an unexpected event. They had been driving through a neighborhood of comfortable homes, most of which were dark as the people within them slept. But Kaitoia's attention was drawn suddenly to a house where all the lights were lit. And from the house itself was coming a roil of emotions that caused her to step on the brakes entirely on instinct. Seren felt it as well. She looked at Kaitoia. "Do you sense that?"

"Yes, pain and fear, but it is the anger that frightens me. There is something sadistic about it, something that feels itself all powerful. Come on, Seren. We have to find out what's going on."

Seren looked at her with raised eyebrows. "What happened to not interfering?"

"Seren, I may be the first to follow the rules, but not even I intend to just walk on by when there is someone who needs my help."

Seren and Kaitoia got out of the car and hurried to the house. As they got closer, they could hear the sounds of struggle, a struggle which was not entirely even. There was the sound of breaking glass, a scream of agony, and cruel laughter. The front door was open, and Kaitoia pushed it open without any trouble. The scene which greeted the two of them was nothing short of sheer carnage. The living room was entirely destroyed, and on the floor was a white haired man who looked to be about fifty years old. He might usually have been a robust human for his age, but not at the moment. He was lying on the floor, unconscious. A gaping wound in his side was oozing blood, and there were multiple broken bones and internal injuries that Kaitoia could sense.

Hovering above him was the white and red uniform of Titan. Kaitoia recognized him from the pictures that she had seen of his brief reign of terror in the city. There was a look of insane glee in his eyes. "How does it feel, Hayworth?" He gloated, though the old man could not hear him, "How does it feel to be on the losing side? Because that's all you are, a loser. You and Megamind, for keeping me cooped up in that stupid cell when I should have been free to be who I was. Well, now you'll see what it means to be really in control."

Kaitoia had heard all that she needed. It was time to make her presence known. She stepped forward and said, in a voice that betrayed no hint of fear, "Step away from him, Titan."

Titan, for all his enhanced senses, didn't even know that he had had an audience. He whirled around, and stared at Kaitoia in shock. "Who the heck are you?"

"You don't need to know that." Kaitoia retorted, "I will not let you harm that man any further. Get out of here before I have to take any drastic action."

Titan seemed to think that this was extremely funny. "You think that you can stop me? You? Your nothing but a puny, pathetic observer. I don't know who you are, but I have enough juice in me to teach you a lesson, you can join Charles Hayworth if you want."

"Oh, I don't think so." Said Kaitoia, with a smile.

"Oh, yeah, you and what army…" Titan's voice suddenly trailed off. He had just caught sight of Seren's golden, supple body, as it lengthened and grew in size. She twisted past Kaitoia and rose up to meet Titan's eyesight. The other hidden talent that Seren possessed as a member of the Voshki race was the ability to hypnotize her prey, to bring them completely under her power.

Titan really had no idea what he was seeing; his mind became a blank, responsive to any sort of suggestion (which wasn't really all that difficult. Kaitoia didn't really feel bad about messing with Titan's mind, since there wasn't much to mess around with in the first place). And it was this openness to suggestion that Seren took full advantage of.

"Look at me, Titan, or Hal, more properly. Listen only to my voice, nothing else matters but what I tell you. Any previous orders you might have gained from anyone else, anything you might wish for yourself, there is nothing that matters except for what I and my Mistress tell you. It will most likely be the best advice that you ever receive in your life. Do you hear what I am telling you?"

Titan's eyes were glazed, as he replied obediently, "Only what you tell me matters. Nothing else matters."

Seren did not take her eyes off of him, but she still raised an eyebrow. "That didn't take as long as I thought." She said, "This Hal is obviously even stupider than he looks."

"So, it shouldn't be hard to do some reconstructive surgery on his memories." Said Kaitoia, as she stepped forward. She delved deep into Hal's mind, shifting aside the images and sensations which guided him (and frankly repulsed her), deep into the core of his memories. She pulled at the strands of those memories, rearranging them and weaving herself and Seren out of the picture. "Listen to me, Hal, very carefully. You are going to leave here as soon as I am finished speaking with you, and you will never come back. You will tell no one of what you have seen, and you will remember nothing of Seren or I. But, don't mistake, I will remember you. I don't take kindly to bullies, and you are perhaps the worst bully that I have ever seen. Know that I could crush you quite easily without laying a finger on you, for the mind will always triumph over brawn. That is why you will eventually lose. Make no mistake, Hal, you may not remember me, but you will see me in your dreams. And if we ever meet again, I will not hesitate to finish what I have started here."

She withdrew from his mind and waved her hand at him. "Now, go and do not look back."

Obediently, and without even a second of hesitation, Titan turned and flew off. He never looked back. Kaitoia and Seren looked at each other. "That was almost entirely too easy." Said Kaitoia, as she hurried over to the body of the man who was lying unconscious on the floor.

"Well, what can you expect from a man who is selling himself out to a woman who is clearly using him for her own benefit." Said Seren. She observed her mistress' worried expression as she examined the man. "Will he be all right?"

Kaitoia looked up at her. "I don't know. But I fear it is worse than that. I recognize this man. Megamind has told me about him more than once. His name is Charles Hayworth. He's the Warden at the Metro City Prison for the Criminally Gifted. He practically raised Megamind. He looks up to him almost as his own father. This is going to devastate him."

Seren looked at Kaitoia closely, and she sensed that there was another reason for her agitation. "There is something else isn't there." she said, gently.

Kaitoia nodded. "Yes, this is the man from my visions, the one who Megamind asked me to save." She glanced at Seren. "You told me that a time would have to come when I had to face Megamind. That time might be soon here."

Seren nodded. "Than what you do in the next few days will prove to be critical."

"I only hope that I make the right decision."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: As Charles Hayworth battles for his life, Kaitoia finds herslef thrust into a situation where she must make a choice. Will Megamind's happiness be a catalyst for breaking the rules for the first time in her life?


	34. Breaking the Rules

Breaking the Rules:

Kaitoia was the one who called the police to the scene of the crime. They were there within minutes, along with an ambulance, and as the paramedics took Charles Hayworth's broken body to the hospital, she was questioned closely as to what had happened. It had required a bit of manipulation on her part for the police to accept her story without further questioning, something which she felt bad for, but she knew that it was necessary.

Once she was allowed to leave, she went back to her apartment in a daze. She didn't know what to think, or how she was supposed to proceed. She passed a fitful night, tossing and turning, and when she did sleep, the vision returned to her, more vivid and disturbing, with Megamind's pleading voice and eyes haunting her as she awoke.

When dawn finally broke over the city, Kaitoia found that she was not the only one who had passed a rough night. Roxanne called her, saying that she and Megamind had been at the hospital all night. "How is he?" She asked.

"How do you think?" said Roxanne, "He hardly left Charles' bedside when he came out of surgery. He won't eat anything; he just keeps staring at him with this lost expression on his face. Charles was like a parent to him, and Megamind just can't imagine losing him."

"What about Charles? How badly was he hurt?"

"He suffered massive internal injuries," said Roxanne, "Broken bones, punctured lungs, concussions. Titan gave him quite a beating."

Kaitoia could hear the anger in Roxanne's voice. "Is there any information on why Titan might have targeted him?"

"I can only suspect that he wanted revenge because Charles was his keeper at the Prison. But Charles is an older man. He didn't stand a chance against Titan's powers. He knew that, but he attacked anyway. He's nothing but a coward if that's the way he takes his revenge. He only attacks those who can't defend themselves or hides behind someone else to get what he wants."

"I know that well enough." Said Kaitoia, remembering what she had seen in Titan's mind the night before. "Is there anything that I can do to help?"

Roxanne seemed to hesitate on the other line, before she finally asked. "Actually, I was hoping that you might be able to come down here later this afternoon."

"Me? Why?"

"Megamind isn't listening to me or Minion, and it's starting to worry me. I know that he respects your words, and if he doesn't listen to anyone else, he might listen to you."

Kaitoia was touched that Roxanne would trust her with something like this. Especially considering that once the idea that she might have some influence with Megamind might have caused her to be jealous. But she sensed that this time, Roxanne was worried first and foremost for Megamind, and anything that she could to help him, even letting someone else speak to him, was something that she was letting to do.

"I'll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

Kaitoia got to the hospital in record time. She found Roxanne waiting for her in the lobby. She looked very tired, and it was obvious that she was worried for Megamind. "I'm glad that you're here, Kaitlin. Megamind really needs all the support that he can get right now."

"I can imagine." Said Kaitoia, as the two of them took the elevator up to Charles' room. "Is it really that bad?"

"The doctors say that he might not last that night, certainly not the week."

The two of them went in silence to the room. Entering the room, Kaitoia nearly froze in her stride, as she saw an exact replica of the vision which she had been experiencing. The layout of the room was so similar, Charles Hayworth lying in the exact position on the bed, and Megamind standing over him with an expression so such despair and heartbreak that it pierced Kaitoia to the soul.

"Please," said Roxanne, in a low voice, "Try and get him to say something to you."

As Roxanne left, Kaitoia came into the room, feeling more than a little uncertain. She came up to one side of the bed. Megamind raised his eyes to meet her expression, but made no other acknowledgement. Kaitoia herself was completely unsure what to say. She had experienced the same feeling of powerlessness to save a loved one. And she knew that no words could really make the situation any better. "I am so sorry." She said, softly. "I wish that I could help in some way."

"You've already done more than enough." Said Megamind, "You, at least, were able to find him before he died alone. At least here, he is more comfortable and I can be with him when he passes." He looked up at her. "How did you manage to find him?"

"I-I just was driving past his house and I could see the damage that Titan had caused." Said Kaitoia, "I didn't know that he had actually done it until the police arrived."

Megamind seemed satisfied with that explanation, which Kaitoia was relieved. After all, there was only so many lies that she could make up for this situation. "Well, either way, thank you. I owe you."

"No, no, you really don't. It was the right thing to do."

Kaitoia was silent for a long time after this. She honestly did not know what else she could say. She couldn't fake the words of sympathy, and she suspected that Megamind would not respond to such things anyway. All she could do was stand there, facing him across the bed which contained the body of Charles Hayworth.

And then, Megamind said something which made everything else in her mind vanished completely. "He was like a father to me."

Kaitoia stared at Megamind, and for a moment she was too stunned to speak. It was her vision coming to life before her. She might have sworn that she was asleep, except for the fact that the emotions coming off of Megamind were stronger and more intense than in that dream-like state wherein she had first experienced them. "What?"

"Charles Hayworth, he was like a father to me." Megamind looked up at her. "I'm sure that you think that very strange."

"No, no, I-I don't." Kaitoia managed to stammer out.

"I'm sure that a lot of people would. He was, by all appearances, my jailer. But he taught me right from wrong. He taught me to have a conscience, even when I was a villain. It sometimes seemed like his voice was there, guiding me, telling me never to hurt anyone. That was why I never was able to kill anyone, because he was the one who taught me that death is the one thing that can never be reversed." He shook his head, struggling to keep his emotions under control. "I wish that I had the chance to tell him that one last time."

Kaitoia felt his sadness screaming out to her, and her heart reached out to him. Again, as in the dream of this vision, it was the feeling of finding a kindred soul, and the fear that it aroused within her was even stronger than before. She almost expected Megamind to appeal to her help, and regardless of whether or not it would expose her identity, she almost thought that she would help him.

But Megamind did not say that. Instead, he turned his eyes back to the man in the bed. "If only there was some way to save him. I wish that there could be. I would do so much to make sure that he could survive." He looked up at her. "I'm sure that you understand. I'm sure that you would do the same for someone that you cared about."

Kaitoia still could not speak. She was too filled with the emotions of the moment to think clearly. All she could do was mutely nod.

As it was, she had no time to respond, because at that moment Roxanne appeared at the door with Minion. Kaitoia barely heard what was being said, only that both of them were imploring Megamind to get something to eat, and that there was nothing he could do by sitting with Charles Hayworth at the expense of his health. Megamind was clearly reluctant to leave his father figure, but he finally agreed.

As Megamind left the room, Kaitoia was left on her own to stare at the man in the bed before her. Her mind was awhirl with what she had just heard from Megamind and the expression on his face. For a split second, she had not known whether she was dreaming or actually living in reality. The event was completely like her dream, save that Megamind had not pleaded directly for her help.

He might as well have been, though. The way he looked to her and the way that he had spoken, had made it clear that he was looking to her, however, subconsciously to help him. And the maddening thing was that she knew she could. She could heal Charles Hayworth. It would not be easy, and would take a great deal of mental energy, but it could be done. And she so wanted to do it, she wanted Megamind to be as whole as he could. He could not afford to lose such an integral part of his life at a time like this.

But, against that strong desire, there was another equally as strong. She wasn't supposed to heal Charles Hayworth. She technically shouldn't have interfered with that in the first place, but that had been a choice of moral principle and she could easily excuse it. However, not this time. She was an observer to human culture, nothing more. She could not save Charles, because it would be risking her exposure and it would interfere with the natural progression of this man's life.

It was the rules, and she had lived by the rules all her life. It had always served her well, until now when it seemed that the rules were in direct conflict with what she wanted most in her life. She didn't know what to do. For several minutes, she found herself staring at the man in the bed before her, trying to know what she was supposed to do.

"_Mistress, you know what you have to do."_ said Seren, through their telepathic link. She had seen and heard everything of the scene, of course, and now she could see plainly the struggle that was taking place in Kaitoia's face.

"_Do I?" _Said Kaitoia, _"Do I really, Seren?"_

"_Yes, I think that you do. If this is truly the point where one of your visions led us, it means that this is a turning point during your time on Earth. You can't just step away from it. It's time to face this."_

Kaitoia knew that Seren was speaking the truth. And sometimes, in such moments of life, it is often the work of single moment of realization to make one understand just what the right choice is. When that moment comes, it is difficult to see how one could have thought otherwise. It was so for Kaitoia. It only took seeing Megamind in her mind's eye, hearing and seeing the level of emotion in his soul that made her realize that she couldn't bring this pain upon him, not if she could prevent it. This time, the rules weren't right; the only right course was to break them.

She stepped forward and called upon her power, preparing herself to heal Charles Hayworth. _"Seren, watch the door, make sure that no one is coming. I can't be disturbed while this is going on."_

"_I will, Mistress." _Said Seren, seeing that her Mistress had made the choice, and now supporting her in anyway that she was called upon.

Kaitoia closed her hands, and lifted her hands over Charles' body. In a few seconds, she was in a deep healing trance. She was inside his body, seeing the damage that had been caused and that he was only a few hours from death. Her mental abilities, beyond those of even normal Tandarens, allowed her to see what other eyes could not. She could see the smallest of blood vessels that brought life to his muscles, the slightest fractures of his broken bones, and the barely functioning heart muscles. But where others might have seen only damage that was irreparable, she could see the small threads which could be connected back together for healing to commence.

From her hands a purple light began to glow, flowing from her fingertips and into the body of Charles Hayworth. Kaitoia urged that energy into the most damaged parts of his body, and used it begin the healing.

Carefully, she began to heal broken bones, causing muscles to come back together, weaving all parts of the body back into health. It was a long process. Indeed, for a time, she thought with a sinking heart that all of her best efforts would be in vain. But then, the heart began to beat more strongly, and the breathing, which before had been labored and weak, now came easier.

At last, Kaitoia was able to foresee that her efforts had brought Charles back to the road of healing. He still had a long way to go, but he would make a full recovery with time. She withdrew into herself again. The purple light which had been going from her fingertips into his body faded, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that his color was much improved, and he was in a sleep of healing, not a coma of death.

Kaitoia herself felt strangely light headed. It was partly to do with the amount of energy she had exerted in order to heal him. But also given the fact that she had just broken the rules, and she didn't feel any guilt about it. In fact, it felt very much like she had done the right thing.

She would have liked to study it further, only she didn't get the chance. _"Mistress,"_ said Seren, _"someone is coming."_

"_Come on, Seren."_ Said Kaitoia, "_I don't want anyone asking me questions about how Charles Hayworth is suddenly now on the road to recovery when only a few hours ago he was dying. I may have healed him, but I don't anything traced back to me."_

_"You will receive no argument from me."_

And with that, both Seren and Kaitoia stole out of the room, leaving Charles Hayworth sleeping peacefully on his hospital bed, the machines which had been signaling the weak signs of approaching death, now ringing steadily with the hope of life.

* * *

Down in the hospital cafeteria, Roxanne was trying to get Megamind to eat something. It wasn't really working, as Megamind still seemed in a catatonic state. Minion hovered nearby, waiting to see if there was anything he could do. "Megamind, come on." Said Roxanne, "You have to eat something. You won't help Charles by just sitting there and losing strength."

Megamind sighed deeply, and looked into Roxanne's eyes. "I should have been there." He said, brokenly, "I should have been able to do something. This is all my fault."

"Megamind, none of this is your fault." Said Roxanne, "How were you supposed to know that Titan would go after Charles? He was hardly an obvious target."

"But, that's just it. I should have known. Titan is in league with this Typhoon character, and she is fiendishly clever at anticipating exactly what the obvious thing is, and doing then just the opposite. You saw her, Roxanne, she went after you. I just can't keep up with her. I've failed you, I've failed Charles, it's probably only a matter of time until I fail the whole city."

Roxanne had heard enough. Megamind was desperate and discouraged. He was blaming himself for things over which he had no control. The only time he had ever been like this, according to Minion, was when he had thought that he had lost everything in facing Titan. Well, she wasn't going to stand by and let that happen again. It was time for some tough love.

"Sujan, listen to me." She said, sternly. Megamind, surprised by the use of his given name in such a situation, found himself obeying her without question. "None of this is your fault. You didn't invite Tabitha to this city; you didn't resurrected Hal to become Titan again. You can't defeat them by sitting there and feeling sorry for yourself. I know that you are really hurting right now, but you are not helping anyone, least of all yourself. A real hero never gives up. And you have never given up, so don't start now."

"You're right, Roxanne." said Megamind, after a moment, "I'm sorry. I'll try to be the hero that you want me to be."

Roxanne, seeing that Megamind was a bit less maudlin, allowed her face to soften. She leaned over and gave him a hug. "You don't need to try, Sujan." She said, tenderly, "You already are."

Megamind returned Roxanne's embrace, taking from her the security and comfort that he needed in a time where nothing seemed certain. He found himself questioning again just how lucky he was to have found Roxanne. He didn't now where he would be without her.

Their moment was interrupted by Minion. "Sir, sorry, but I just got a call from one of the doctors working on Charles Hayworth."

Megamind's face grew somber. "Is it that time, Minion? I asked them to tell me so that I could be with him at the end."

Minion seemed confused. "No, Sir. I don't actually know what they want you for. She assured me that Charles isn't anywhere near the end. She just told you to get up to his room and hurry."

As Megamind and Roxanne didn't have any better idea as to what was going on than Minion, they all practically ran to Charles' room. When they arrived, the doctor who had been attending him, Dr. Wanda Ford, met them with an excited, though mystified look. "Megamind, thank you so much for coming up here so fast. I don't know how this development happened. It's one of the most extraordinary cases of my career."

"Dr. Ford, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Megamind, nothing at all. That's the amazing thing. Charles Hayworth is going to live."

All three of them looked at the doctor in open-mouthed shock. "Live?" Said Megamind, torn between the extreme emotions of joy and confusion, "He's going to live?"

"Yes, I mean, he still has some ways to recover but all of his most serious injuries have healed."

"But just a few hours ago, you said that he wouldn't last the night." Said Minion, "How on earth could this have happened?"

"I have no idea, Minion. In all my years practicing medicine, I have never seen a reversal like this. Just a few hours ago, I would have said that there was no chance. But, when I examined him ten minutes ago, it was as if those injuries had never existed. It's nothing short of a miracle."

"He's going to be all right." said Megamind, who didn't really care how it had happened, so long as it had. "Dr. Ford, may I see him?"

"Of course, he's sleeping now. But he might be awake in a few hours."

Megamind hurried into room, followed closely by Minion. Roxanne lingered behind, she looked at Dr. Ford. "You say that it just happened?"

"Yes, I can't explain it. It's quite extraordinary."

"Yes," said Roxanne, who found it quite extraordinary herself. For though she was as happy for Megamind as she could be, she still felt herself a little puzzled by this experience, and wondering perhaps if there might be more to this whole situation than might be thought. But then again, there was nothing that she could do now. So, she just put the matter to the back of her mind to consider later, and followed Megamind and Minion into the room, to share in the celebration.

* * *

Kaitoia got home feeling more than a little exhausted. She had been going for nearly twenty four hours, and had expended a great deal of her mental strength in that time. She needed to rest. But when she got to the door of her apartment, she stopped for a moment, as did Seren. They both sensed the person in the room beyond, and she greeted the news with nothing short of relief. "Melisande," said Kaitoia, "she's come back."

"I wonder why." Said Seren, "What are you going to say to her?"

"Perhaps, only yesterday, I might have gotten into another argument with her about her relationship with Bernard, but a lot has changed in that time. I think that I understand that better."

She pushed the door open, and sure enough, there was Melisande, sitting at the kitchen table. She looked up to see Kaitoia entering, and immediately, she began speaking rapidly. "Kaitoia, please, before you jump down my throat, listen to me."

"Melisande-"

"No, wait. Listen, I shouldn't have said those things. They were completely unnecessary. I know that you were just looking out for me, and I shouldn't have accused you of trying to run my life."

"You were right." said Kaitoia, quietly.

"You were only looking out for me, Kaitoia, just like you always have and…. Wait, what did you say?"

"You were right, Melisande. I can sometimes be too mindful of the rules for my own good. Your right when you said that sometimes I should listen to my heart for the right thing to do."

Melisande looked at Kaitoia in surprise. "What? You really mean that?"

"Yes, I am. I had no right to try and tell you what to do, Melisande. I do trust your judgment, and I know that you would never do anything to compromise our safety or this mission. Who knows? Perhaps the fact that you've fallen in love with a human means that there could be a chance for a peaceful first contact."

"Well, I do have to admit that even thought I was prepared to admit that I might have been to sharp with you, I wasn't willing to say that you were right about Bernard. I don't want to give him up."

"There's no reason why you should."

Melisande shook her head. "I know that you mean it, Kaitoia. You wouldn't lead me on about something like this. But, I have to admit that I am confused. Why are you suddenly so tolerant of something you were willing to condemn just a week ago?"

Kaitoia considered her words, and she said, "You are perhaps not the only one who is being swayed by emotions during our time on earth, I am encountering the same thing. And if that is the case, perhaps it is not something that we should try to fight against. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get some sleep. I am exhausted."

She retreated back to her room, Melisande watching her with no small amount of shock. "What happened, Seren? It couldn't have just been a random change of heart."

Seren shook her head. "It wasn't random, Melisande. Of that I assure you. My Mistress for the first time in her life, has broken the rules. And I think that she finally understands what that means."

* * *

So, things are at least a little happier now. Charles is going to live and Kaitoia and Melisnade are talking to each other again. But there is still a storm waiting to break on the horizon. The trouble in Metro City is far from over. In the meantime, please read and review.

Next chapter: Violence rocks Metro City when Tabitha comes face to face with Megamind for the first time. When supervillain and superhero finally meet, Megamind will see the face of true evil for the first time. However, when it seems like all hope is lost, he will be receiving help from some very unexpected allies.


	35. The Face of the Enemy

The Face of the Enemy:

For the past few weeks, Metro City had been suffering under a cloud of uncertainty. The acts of crime which had been perpetrated by Titan and the DOOM Syndicate had mysteriously stopped, and all the citizens had felt that those acts had been merely the prologue to something much worse. And they were right.

The disaster struck as swiftly and as destructively as lightening. There had been a call to the police station that a bomb had been planted in the Megamind Museum and that it would go off in thirty minutes. The call had been placed in the very middle of the day, right when the crowds at the museum would be at their height. Even so, there was a storm gathering, and the dark clouds overhead were almost as gloomy as night. The police were rushing to get people out of the building, while the bomb squad began sweeping the Museum from top to bottom, looking for any place that a bomb might have been located.

Of course, one of the first on the scene was Megamind. He arrived with Minion in the invisible car, and the police captain was the first to meet him at the front of the museum. "Megamind, I'm glad that you're here."

"What can you tell me, Captain?" said Megamind.

"We've got nearly everyone out, but if that bomb goes off, it could level the entire block, not to mention the damage the rain of debris could cause. The bomber said that the explosive was strong enough to do that."

"Did you manage to get anything at all on the bomber?" asked Megamind.

"No, we were unable to trace the call. The voice itself was distorted as well, but we were able to determine that she was most likely female."

Megamind nodded, a grim feeling rising in his heart, as he began to think just who this person was. "Thank you, Captain. I may have a device which will help you to find the bomb more quickly. Minion and I will unload it."

"Thank you, Megamind." Said the police Captain, "Any help you can give will be great."

"Sir, do you think that this is the work of Typhoon?" asked Minion, as the two of them unloaded the bomb detector that Megamind had built. Now that he was the hero, more of Megamind's inventions had less to do with blowing things up, and more to do with preventing the destruction of the explosives itself.

"I believe so, Minion." Said Megamind, "Only she could have done this so expertly without raising suspicion.

"If that's the case, then why hasn't she made her presence known?" said Minion, "You would think that she would have made an impressive entrance by now, or at least made some sort of demand."

"Typhoon isn't like other villains, Minion. She's most definitely not like me. I don't think that she is in this strictly for the attention. She prefers to wait in the shadows. I'm certain that she wants something, but whatever that might be, she's not going to make it known in the conventional way."

"Than how are we supposed to-?"

At this very moment, Megamind's phone went off. Megamind looked at the phone in surprise, quite obviously wondering who could be calling him at such a moment. When he looked at the caller ID, he saw that it was an unknown number. Cautiously, he answered it, "Hello?"

The voice that answered in some ways resembled that of Lydia Davenant, only it was twisted and cruel, and so cold that Megamind felt a shiver race down his spine despite himself. "Megamind, it is so wonderful to hear your voice in the flesh at last."

Though Megamind might have felt a flash of apprehension when he heard this voice, he quickly recovered his courage. Now, when he thought of all that Typhoon had done, all he felt was a raw anger. "Typhoon."

"Good guess, Megamind. I knew that you would get it on the first try."

"Why are you doing this, Typhoon? What do you want?"

"I wanted to get your attention, Megamind. I knew that targeting the location of your museum would bring you out nice and quick."

"I didn't come out here because I'm worried about the museum. I came here because you have deliberately put people's lives in danger, and I will stop you."

"As much as I would love to play this game, I didn't call you to exchange threats and insults. That sort of thing is best conducted face to face, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean I want a meeting. The apartment building on the south side of the museum, three buildings down, do you see it?"

"Of course I can see it."

"Meet me at the top in five minutes. And come alone."

"How do I know you aren't trying to kill me?"

Typhoon laughed, a sound that was as harsh as a winter wind. "Oh, Megamind, you are funny. Trust me, if I had wanted to kill you, you would already be dead. Come, and if you do not, I will activate the bomb remotely, while the rescue crews, patrons and other assorted persons are inside it. You now have four and a half minutes."

The line abruptly went dead. Megamind looked at the phone, and then said, "Minion, stay here. Help the bomb squad find the explosive."

"Sir," said Minion, "You can't actually be thinking of going to meet this mad woman, are you?"

"Minion, I have to. If I don't, I'll never know who I'm dealing with. And no, you can't come with me."

"Sir, my first purpose in life is to protect you, you know that."

Megamind smiled at his friend, and put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't want to hurt Minion like he had once done when he had turned him away, but he had to make his friend understand why he had to do this himself. "Minion, you are my closest friend, and I couldn't have made it this far without you. But, this is something that I have to do on my own. This time, you can't protect me. The best way you can help me is by staying here and helping these people. Do you understand?"

Reluctantly, Minion nodded. "Yes, Sir, I do. Only please, be careful."

"I will, Minion, good luck."

"You too, sir."

* * *

As Megamind appeared on top of the apartment building, he didn't need to look long to locate Typhoon. She was standing on the very edge of the building, looking out onto the chaos which was surrounding the Megamind Museum. For a moment, she did not turn around when he first came up, though he was sure that she knew she was there. Instead, she said, "It is so amusing watching the lesser beings run hither and yon trying to prevent the inevitable. You remember that, don't you?"

"Typhoon, what are you doing here? What do you want?"

Typhoon turned around and faced him at last. Megamind could clearly see the resemblance between her and Lady Doppler. However, he could instantly perceive that she was of a darker sort, the sharp glance of her blue eyes, and the way she held herself clearly indicated that she was a woman consumed by darkness, and she relished in it. "I should think it were obvious. I always like to see the face of the enemy before I destroy them. It gives something of piquancy to the victory, don't you think?"

Megamind did not rise to the bait. He knew that he could not afford to get involved with a battle of wits at this point. He somehow realized that Typhoon was an enemy unlike any he had ever faced. This was not a game to her; it was a matter of life and death. "Typhoon, it doesn't have to end this way. Surrender now, you can't win. I won't let you take over Metro City."

Typhoon laughed her sharp and cold laugh. "Megamind, you honestly think that I want to conquer Metro City? That is truly funny. What would I want with another city like this? I am not in this for the plunder."

"Then, why are you doing this?"

"I should think that the answer should have been simple enough." Said Typhoon. "I am a villain, Megamind. We are in something of a privileged position, are we not? As villains, we can determine whether someone lives or dies. We have the power, even if only for a moment, over the ultimate choice." She cast a cold, penetrating glance at him, "Did you never experience the thrill of such a choice? I cannot think that you did, since you have become so easily weakened by your choice to become a hero."

"Typhoon, that is not the way that the world works. I once thought the same as you did, that evil was the only way. But, one of the most important things that I learned was that people can change."

Tabitha laughed once more. "How much more clichéd can you become, Megamind? Trying to turn a person such as myself good? I have no desire to become a partisan of the light. Evil has all the power in these battles. Perhaps it can never truly win, but it can never be truly defeated. Even for your pathetic career as a villain, you must know what I mean. They may have tried to put you away, but you always managed to escape. You were always the one who chose the time and place for conflict, always the one who held the bait. Now, so do I. Only I am playing with the best bait of all: I hold the entire city in my hands, the lives of every innocent, and I will take advantage of it."

Megamind was about to respond when he received a text. He looked at Typhoon, and when he saw the smug expression on her face, he felt his heart beat faster with an unknown fear. "Go ahead, Megamind, look."

Megamind read the text on his phone. It was from the head of the bomb squad, and it said: **Museum cleared. No bomb found.**

Megamind did not feel any relief at this. Instead, he felt a strange sense of trepidation. He looked from the phone, to Typhoon, who was still staring at him, with that same self-satisfied expression on her face. "You didn't really think I would go for the most obvious target, did you?"

At that very moment, a series of massive explosions erupted behind Typhoon. Megamind watched in horror as fire and smoke filled the sky behind her. The explosions seemed to happen in an arc around Typhoon, bathing her dark hair and pale skin in an eerie, otherworldly light. As the reverberations tore through the ground, coming like an earthquake even from this distance, Megamind realized with horror that the whole thing had been a ruse. Typhoon had never meant to blow up the Megamind Museum; it had been a distraction, so that he wouldn't think that something else was going on.

Typhoon turned around to stare at the destruction which was tearing through Metro City. "Do not look so horrified, Megamind. People die." She was clearly relishing the pain that she was causing, both to the innocents and to Megamind who felt responsible for them. "That is what people do, after all. Every so often, though, I and others like me get to name the time and place."

Megamind had heard enough. He was no longer cautious, no longer even the slightest bit worried for his own safety. All he could see was the pain and death that Typhoon had caused, on a level far greater than he had ever dreamed of. And in that moment, a great and terrible rage possessed him, and all he wanted to do was stop Typhoon by any means necessary.

He drew his Dehydration Gun, and pulled the trigger. However, when the ray of blue light made its way towards Typhoon's still turned back, she turned like lightening, and holding up one hand, turned the beam of light aside, without it affecting her in the slightest. At Megamind's look of surprise, she said, "Do you think that I, who can control water, could be affected by something like dehydration? I have the power to make that weapon of yours completely ineffective, Megamind. You cannot beat me."

As if to illustrate her point, Typhoon called upon the water in the air, and created a great cyclone of water, of the same type that she had used to facilitate Titan's escape from prison. Only this time, the full force of its fury was focused upon Megamind.

Megamind was knocked backwards by the force of Typhoon's water stream. His weapon was knocked from his grasp. For a moment, he was completely winded, coughing and gasping from the water. However, that didn't stop him from seeing the three icicles that Typhoon conjured in the air. They were as sharp as a sword's edge, gleaming and deadly. And they were aimed directly at him.

Megamind realized that he was unarmed and completely at Typhoon's mercy, not that he had been expecting it anyway. He had never felt so helpless since his humiliating defeat at the hands of Titan. However, this time, he would not grovel in fear. He would face whatever death Typhoon dealt him with courage. However, the stabbing icicles which had been approaching Megamind's body suddenly stopped. Typhoon drew them back into her hands. "I am not going to kill you here and now, Megamind." Said Typhoon, "I have a far grander scheme in mind for your demise."

With that she walked past his prone body, without as much as a second glance. Megamind was too winded to attempt to follow her. However, before she left, he heard her say, "You have brought this upon yourself, Megamind. The next time we meet, it will end in only one winner and the loser will be dead."

With that, Typhoon was gone. But the effects of her presence were all too visible, in the form of the blazing fires and the screaming sirens of the emergency personnel as they raced from the scene of the Megamind Museum to the sites of the bombed out buildings. It was a scene all too familiar from years past of other battles between hero and villain, only this time the stakes were much higher, and this time the hero had clearly lost.

* * *

I really couldn't have Megamind win all the rounds; that would have been too easy. Don't worry, though. Megamind will have his ultimate victory, because the final battle is about to begin. But will he be willing to pay the price? Only time will tell.

In the meantime, please read and review.


	36. Fighting Back

Fighting Back:

It had been a tense period in the Lair since Megamind's dramatic confrontation with Typhoon had resulted in disaster. Fifteen people had died, many more had been injured and some of Metro City's greatest treasures had been destroyed, all because one villain had finally gotten the better of the hero. No one in Metro City seemed to blame Megamind. Indeed, they were too shocked by the violence of the act to think much of who was to blame, other than the one who had planted the bombs in the first place.

But this was little consolation to Megamind. For the first time, he tasted the bitterness of true defeat. Oh, he had been defeated by Metro Man before, hundreds of times over. But that had been different. With Metro Man, it had been a game, a grand design created so that they both could get attention. They had both known that there wasn't really anything to it. This, however, was different. This was no game; this was a matter of life and death. Megamind could see that now. Typhoon was more than willing to shed innocent blood in order to make her point. She had made herself clear: the next time that she and Megamind met, it would be the final battle.

However, Megamind was determined, even the face of overwhelming odds to not give up. The loss of so much life in the bombing had discouraged him for awhile, but now he was rallying all of his wits to meet his greatest foe yet. This time, he swore to himself, he would win.

But, as it turned out, it would not be a battle which he would have to face alone. Unbeknownst to him, Megamind had many allies in Metro City, more than he had ever believed he had. And in the aftermath of the bombing, he found that they came forward very willingly to help.

The first one to come forward was none other than Bernard himself. Being as he was the curator of the Megamind Museum, and having known Megamind ever since college, he was the natural first choice to help him. "You once told me that I was the closest thing to an equal that you had ever met." He told Megamind when he came to see him. "I'm not saying that I would be able to be the same hero that you are, but another pair of eyes might be useful for your technical plans."

Megamind had to admit that he greatly admired Bernard, and he sometimes wondered if he had taken his friendship for granted over the years. He had really been the only true friend that the alien had had before he had met Roxanne. "If you're as astute in chemistry and engineering as you were in college, I think that I would be a fool to turn you down."

"So, are we lab partners again?" Bernard asked.

Megamind smiled. "Yes, definitely."

Next in the crew of allies, were Melissa and Kaitlin. Kaitlin had been doing a great deal of research on Typhoon, and Megamind was surprised at the amount of knowledge that she had gained on his opponent, considering how very difficult it was to find any information on her. She believed that it was important for him to know who his enemy was mentally as well as physically.

Melissa just wanted to help, and though she couldn't give him personal information about Typhoon, she would be able to get him something just as good. After all, she was the head of the Hitchcock Observatory, and she has access to top secret radar. Perhaps she would be able to find out where Tabitha was striking from, and if she had any big guns that Megamind should be aware of.

After Kaitlin and Melissa had offered their help, Megamind was quite surprised when Wayne showed up at the Lair, saying that he wanted to help as well.

"What about your retirement?" asked Megamind.

"Hey, don't get me wrong, buddy. Music is still my passion. But I've been thinking, maybe I could do some hero work on the side when a good cause worth fighting for comes up."

Megamind looked at Wayne a little quizzically. "It's not that I don't want your help, Wayne. I just thought that you said that you were tired of being a hero. And you didn't want to help when Titan was threatening the city. Why is this any different?"

Wayne looked a little ashamed. "Megamind, look, I'm sorry that I didn't help with Titan. I know that you think I was wrong not to, and perhaps I was on some level. But I also kind of knew that you needed that opportunity to be the hero that I knew you could be."

"What do you mean?"

"It was all about the lime light, Megamind. It was fun at first, but over the years, I realized that I never really liked being a hero."

"I suppose that, in a way, you were pushed onto a path that wasn't of your own choosing." Said Megamind, "You were different, and so people choose what they wanted to think of you before they actually knew you."

Wayne nodded. "Exactly, I always felt so empty at the end of the day. All I ever wanted was to be normal. I have to admit, I think that I am finding more of that than I ever have before."

"That still doesn't explain why you want to help me now?"

"Well, Megamind, this threat is too big for anyone person to face alone. Metro City is my home just as much as yours. Whatever I can do to defend it from a real threat like this, I will, if you'll have me, of course."

Megamind smiled at his one time rival, but was now becoming his friend. "I will accept your help, gladly."

It seemed that nothing could top that little interlude. But the biggest surprise was yet to come. It was a week since the disaster with Typhoon had occurred. A violent storm was rocking Metro City, with thunder that shook the earth and lightening that blazed like white fire across the skies. The rain was blinding and stinging to anyone unfortunate enough to be caught outside. And of course, no poncho would have been enough to keep one from becoming soaked within seconds.

Megamind, Minion and Roxanne were one of those unfortunate few, as they had been at Kaitlin and Melissa's apartment discussing strategy. They were wet through and they were quite happy to get back into the safety of the Lair, where a group of brain bots quickly brought them towels (including 147, who had been repaired after the incident with Typhoon).

"On top of everything else we have to deal with, this weather is atrocious." Grumbled Megamind.

"Didn't the weatherman say that it was supposed to be clear and calm tonight?" said Minion.

"You can never believe anything that the weatherman says." Said Megamind, with still intense irritation.

"It is a bit strange." Said Roxanne, "Not to mention a bit familiar. I think that I remember reading a report somewhere that every time Lady Doppler attacked a city, some sort of unexplainable weather would break out in the cit where she would invade."

"Well, we can rule out Lydia Davenant being here." said Minion, "I think that she made herself quite clear last time that she wouldn't be helping us."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the lights in the Lair began flickering, on and off, off and on, until none of them really had any clear idea what they were seeing around them. Then, there was suddenly, there was a blinding flash of lightening and a deafening roar of thunder. From out of that thunder came a voice that they all knew, projected over some sort of hidden loud speaker. "You should know better than to try and anticipate my movements, Minion. I am Lady Doppler and I always do the last thing that anyone suspects of me."

The lights in the Lair came back on and there in front of them stood Greg Ritchi and Lydia Davenant. For a brief moment, Roxanne, Minion and Megamind had no idea what to say. They just stared at the two of them in open mouthed shock. Lydia smirked, and said, in her menacing British accent, "Well, you are certainly a blank lot tonight. Just think, if I wanted too, I could have done something horrible to you in the past ten seconds. Don't you even have a word about my impressive entrance?"

"What are you doing here?" Megamind questioned.

"I should think that was obvious. We have come to help you defeat Typhoon."

"But, I thought that you said you couldn't make a stand against her." said Megamind, "You thought it was too much of a risk."

"Perhaps it is to much of a risk, Megamind." Said Lydia, with a grim smile, "Perhaps I'll die doing the one really heroic thing I have ever done in my life, which would be quite ironic. But the truth is, this has been going on for far too long. I should have taken a stand against my sister long ago. This is going to end now."

Roxanne looked at Greg, "Greg, are you sure that you want to do this?"

Greg smiled at his sister. "You think that I wouldn't be here if I didn't fully support whatever Lydia was doing?"

"He's actually the one who made me do it." said Lydia, "Kept pestering me about the rightness of finally making a stand against Tabitha. Did it every way imaginable, veiled hints, saying it out right, we got into I don't know how many fights about it until he wore me down. The Ritchi stubbornness streak, Megamind, I'm sure that you've encountered that."

Megamind actually managed a smile. "I have actually, several times. Well, if you're sure, Lady Doppler."

"Of course I'm sure, Megamind. If you think I'm going to let anyone else come in and try to take over the city that I should be conquering than you quite wrong."

"In that case, I would welcome your help. But I can't allow you to put yourself directly in the line of fire. You were right when you said that Typhoon is merciless. I don't doubt now that she would kill you if given the chance, and Greg. There has to be a way that you can help us without directly exposing yourself."

"There might be actually. I am the master of all weather related disasters, after all. Where do you think this storm came from? I can change the weather at a moment's notice, or set things in motion so gradually that no one, not even my sister would be able to catch anything out of the ordinary. That is where I can help you even the odds."

"How will being able to affect the weather help us?" asked Minion.

"Minion, have you forgotten, my sister's name is Typhoon. She can control water. However, she seems to have a bit of difficulty calling upon that power in the middle of the desert, or any other very warm place."

Megamind caught onto her idea immediately. "Of course, you could create a dry spell."

"Not just a dry spell, a heat wave the likes of which Metro City has never seen. It cannot drain her power completely, but it would put an effective damper on it."

Megamind laughed. "Lady Doppler, you are perhaps as brilliant as I ever was."

"Well, thank you for the complement, Megamind. Something tells me that is high praise indeed."

So it was that Megamind found that allies were, indeed, all around him. With their help, he was certain that whenever Typhoon, Titan, and her followers struck again, he would not be facing them alone. It was time for him to start fighting back.

* * *

Hal Stewart, known to pretty much everyone at the DOOM Syndicate as Titan (since he insisted that is what he should be called and nothing else), was not pleased with the way things were going. He had broken out of jail to get back at Megamind and everyone else in Metro City. He had gotten his powers back so that he could claim what was rightfully his. He had even been willing to put up with all of Typhoon's little petty rules in order to keep her happy. But now, he had finally had enough.

He was not happy with the way that things had gone with the recent raid upon Metro City. Even though there had been a large amount of chaos from the bombs which had been set off by Typhoon, even though Metro City was now in a weaker position, he still was furious with the way things had turned out.

"You said that you were planning to destroy the Megamind Museum." He fumed to Typhoon after the incident, back at the DOOM Syndicate's headquarters. "I thought that we were finally going to blow up that blue jerk's symbol of power. It would have been perfect justice."

"Perfect justice for you, Titan." Said Tabitha, with a coolness that infuriated Hal still further, "In this instance, it was necessary to think of the bigger picture. The long term effects of what I did will be far more effective in conquering Metro City. And to remind you, I did not say that the Megamind Museum would be destroyed, I merely said that it would be a main part of the plan. You really need to listen to me a little better, Titan, if you want to get anywhere."

"You know, I'm really starting to get tired of listening to you." said Titan, "You told me that you would help me to get revenge on Megamind, and so far, you haven't helped me to do that at all. You're just stalling and making stupid mistakes."

Tabitha raised an eyebrow. "Am I?" She asked, pointedly.

"Yeah. If the Megamind Museum had gone up in flames, then I would have known that you could be trusted. But you haven't done anything to help me."

This was not entirely true, as Tabitha was well aware. Tabitha was not like most stereotypical villains in one respect: she always honored the deals that she made. How else would she have been able to hold together the DOOM Syndicate? And even though Hal was a complete idiot, utterly useless and repulsive to her in every respect, she had been perfectly willing to honor her end of the bargain, had Hal shown even the slightest willingness to cooperate. But he kept questioning and challenging her, and it was becoming more frequent. If there was one thing that Tabitha would not tolerate, it was someone challenging her authority.

She had been more than patient with Hal. Now it was time to teach him a lesson, using force.

Hal was completely unaware of any of this, and he had no idea of the danger that he was walking into with every word he spoke. "You know, I have half a mind to cut with you, go back to Metro City and take care of this whole thing properly, myself."

"Oh really, will you?"

"Yeah. And when I take over Metro City, I'm going to tell everyone in the villain world what a cheating little liar you are, and then you will regret everything that you have done to me."

No sooner were the words out of his mouth, then Tabitha reached for the remote that she had carried with her at all times ever since Hal had been transformed into Titan. She pressed the button, and Hal was stunned when he felt the power draining from his body. In a flash, his muscles and strength had faded away, leaving him his weak and pathetic old self. When he realized this, all his bravado instantly vanished under the cold gaze of Tabitha's ice blue eyes.

Tabitha came towards him, regarding him with a look of such contempt and rage, that Hal was to terrified to say anything for several seconds. She towered over him, making him appear even smaller than he really was. "Tell me, Hal," She said, at last, in a voice that seemed on the surface to be perfectly neutral, but there was a clear edge to it that made Hal shiver. "Who was it that gave you back your powers?"

Hal swallowed hard, his mouth suddenly very dry. "Y-You did."

"Good, I'm glad that you remember that." Suddenly, she grabbed him by the shoulders, hauled him up to his feet and thrust him into the wall. She pinned him there, so that Hal had nowhere to look but into her terribly cold stare. "I was the one who made you into Titan. I was the one who gave the chance for revenge. All I asked in return was that you follow my orders. However, you have failed to do that." She curled a hand around his throat, choking the very life from Hal. "And don't forget this, _never_ forget this, I raised you up, and I can just as easily bring you down. If you ever so much as question my authority again, I will send you right back to you where you came from, only this time, more broken and pathetic than you were when you left." She shook Hal violently. "Do you understand me?"

Hal nodded, knowing that his very life depended on his answer. "I can't hear you." Spat Tabitha, loosening her grip slightly so that Hal could speak. "Do you understand?" She repeated with deadly venom.

"Yes, yes." Squeaked Hal, "Yes, I do. Please…?"

Tabitha immediately and unceremoniously dropped Hal to the ground, where he lay coughing and gasping. "Take Hal Stewart back to his suite." She instructed a pair of nearby guards. "Perhaps a night without his powers will allow my words to fully sink in."

Hal, broken and completely terrified, had no more fight left him in. He didn't even resist the guards as they dragged him away from Tabitha, though his last sight of her was with that same cold stare and a cruel smile playing across her lips.

* * *

Please read and review. Just so you know, it may be a few weeks before I can update again. It is the last few weeks of school and so I will be very busy. But don't worry, I know where this is going, and we are actually very close to the end. And I also am starting on the sequal, which may not be quite as epic as First Contact, but will contain a lot of heart.

Next chapter: The second vision is about to visit Kaitoia, and will bring her one step closer to finally understanding the truth about the mysterious connection between her and Megamind.


	37. The Second Vision

These are actually two very important chapters in First Contact. Things have been building to this, and I hope that it meets everyone's expectations. Enjoy!

The Second Vision:

The second vision that Kaitoia had received regarding her visit to Earth began soon after the first had been fulfilled. Of all of them perhaps, this was the most gentle, and there was nothing particularly disturbing about it. However, it was still puzzling, for it spoke to her of scenes in her past that she had believed lost to her forever.

On her home planet of Tandara, before its destruction, there had been insects that went by the name of Hotarus. They were insects that had chemicals in their bodies which flashed in the dark night, as multiple and brilliant jewels of red, green, yellow and blue. It was said by the poets that the Hotarus were the most beautiful of all insects and the sight of them could lift even the weariest of souls.

Kaitoia had many fond memories of the Hotarus. Many was the evening when she had taken her baby brother Sujan in her arms and gently stirred the Hotarus into flight, creating especially for him a light show beyond words to describe. It was such a success that sometimes Sujan would not go to sleep without seeing it.

There were no Hotarus on Chandos IV, a circumstance that she often regretted. However, when she had come to Earth, she had been delighted to find that there was a Hotuaru like insect known as a firefly. Granted, they were not as large as the Hotarus, and they only produced a soft white glow, but anything that reminded her of her home planet was beautiful, and it wasn't long before she welcomed the sight of the winking lights of the firefly.

However, these little insects were also the subjects of the second vision which came to her dreams once she had healed Charles Hayworth. In this particular vision, she and Megamind were surrounded by fire flies, in a scene that reminded her eerily of the last night she had spent with Tandara. The fire flies were echoing the patterns that she had created for Sujan's delight. The only difference seemed to be that Megamind had taken Sujan's place.

She would always awake with a slightly mystified feeling, as though she was right on the verge of understanding something, but it was never enough for her mind to fully grasp. Unlike the last vision, this one did not seem to haunt her every footstep, and yet she had no idea how it would come to pass, or what she would realize when she did.

In the weeks following Typhoon's attack, the little party of Megamind's allies met regularly to compare notes and to plan things out as best they could. They had the workings of a pretty good plan. Unfortunately, one key piece was missing: they didn't know when Typhoon would strike next. And how fast they could put all the pieces into motion might be critical in defending the city.

Kaitoia was trying to find that out. She had told Megamind that she had been able to find out information about Typhoon that no one else cold access. Megamind did not ask how she came by that information. It didn't seem to matter to him as long as the information checked out. However, she was acquiring the information by means of using her mental powers. She had met Typhoon's sister Lydia, and since the two were so closely related, that meant that she could track down the thought patterns of Typhoon herself. It was somewhat akin to tracing someone's physical body through genetic mapping. However, it was by no means as clear and it took a great deal of effort. Still, she had managed to gain some information which would be of use to them in later conflicts.

One evening, Megamind, Roxanne and Minion were at Melisande's and her apartment. It had been a long and arduous evening. And when Roxanne noticed that Megamind and Kaitoia both seemed to be lagging (Megamind because he was so worried about Typhoon, and Kaitoia because she had had hardly any sleep), ordered them out onto the terrace for some fresh air for a few minutes. Since neither of them wanted to argue with Roxanne's stubbornness, they acquiesced.

The night was cool, with a light breeze stirring the atmosphere. The night sky above was sprayed with stars and overall, it was a peaceful, calm scene. Neither Kaitoia nor Megamind said anything to each other, but the silence was companionable. However, Megamind broke the silence, when he pointed out into the night sky and said, "Look over there, Kaitlin."

In the sky all around them, had appeared dozens and dozens of fireflies, all of them winking and twinkling. Soon, Kaitoia and Megamind were surrounded by the soft glow of their light. It seemed as though there were several little stars dancing around them, and it was such a beautiful sight that for a moment, they were able to forget about their worries and troubles.

"It's good to know that there is still something beautiful in this world," said Megamind, watching the flashing fireflies with wonder, "Especially in the midst of so much darkness."

"The darkness can still be held back by a single flame." Said Kaitoia, "As long as there is still one person to stand against it. The one good thing in your situation is that you are not the only one."

Megamind turned and smiled at her, "Yes, that is true. And if I was ever grateful for my friends, it would be now. I need to thank you for all your help, had it not been for you, we might never have known half of Typhoon's strategies. Wherever did you get such information anyway?"

Kaitoia smiled. "You know the old saying, Megamind. What you don't know can't hurt you."

While they had been speaking, something had begun to happen that neither was aware of. The fireflies, which had been flying pretty much randomly around them, slowly began to fall into a sort of pattern and order. They grouped themselves into little formations, flying in sync with each other, as though some sort of force were instructing them how to dance. And strangely, they all seemed to be doing so around Kaitoia. This was not actually strange for those who knew of Kaitoia's mental abilities, which could sometimes affect those around her without her intending to.

But to Megamind, when he saw this, it only seemed to raise questions in his mind. "Kaitlin, how are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" She looked around her only to see that the fireflies were dancing and winking around her, much as they had that one last day she had spent with her family, all those years ago. In fact, they were almost the exact same patterns which she had made for her brother. She had no idea why her mind should have conjured up such an image, yet it seemed so natural. "Oh, I don't know really. Maybe I have what humans call ESP."

Megamind did not answer right away. In the back of his mind, he was reminded of the day when he and Kaitlin had first met, and he had been struck by something about her which he hadn't been able to explain; only that she had seemed intensely familiar to him somehow. He was feeling that same thing now, only it seemed to be stronger. It felt like a memory he had forgotten, but which was now struggling to become clear.

There was a connection between him and Kaitlin, and it had only grown stronger over the last few months. It was not romantic in anyway. Truthfully, the idea of kissing Kaitlin was completely unappealing to him. But, besides that, it was every bit as important as the one he shared with Roxanne. And in fact, he sometimes got the feeling that what he shared with Kaitlin, was essential to his very being.

"Kaitlin," he said, softly, and almost in a dream, "Have we met before? I sometimes get the feeling that I know you so well, though I've only known you for a few short months."

Kaitoia did not know how to respond. Something in her soul always seemed to pull her towards Megamind, and even if she had grown to accept it, she still didn't know what it meant. And the sheer intensity of it could still scare her. "I don't know." She answered, honestly, "Maybe we have met. Maybe it was just a different life."

The two of them stared at each other for a long time. There amidst the winking fire flies, they both knew that the bond between them would not be ignored, and that it was changing their lives in ways that they could not know begin to imagine. They were close, so close to understanding, and yet still the final answer was eluding them.

Nor would they receive it tonight. For no sooner had the fire flies begun to fade away into the night, then they were called back into the room by Melisande, and they resumed their planning for the imminent conflict with Typhoon.

However, the wait would not be much longer. The second vision had come to pass. And that night, in Kaitoia's dreams, the answer would finally come to her, at last.


	38. The Final Vision

The Final Vision:  
More than any other vision that had preceded her visit to Earth, it was the final one which had caused Kaitoia the greatest amount of pain, because she saw all to clearly the way that it pointed. Unlike the last two visions, which had shown her having to make a choice, this vision didn't seem to give her any option, other than the acceptance of her own death.

This vision seemed to take place in the midst of the streets of Metro City, in the aftermath of a great battle. Debris from broken windows, shattered cars, and great slabs of uprooted pavement littered the streets. The battle was over, but she felt a strange sense of foreboding, as though something were about to happen that she would not be able to prevent.

Megamind was there, though. Coming towards her, he seemed to be relieved that she was alive. Kaitoia wondered if this was some sort of strange forecast of the aftermath of the inevitable battle that was coming with Typhoon. But if that battle was over, why did she still feel as though something terrible was about to happen.

Then she felt it, the pain, and the agony tearing through her. She did not see where it came from, but it immediately felt like her chest was on fire. She fell to the pavement, a cry of pain issuing from her lips. She knew that the hit was fatal, and that she did not have a chance of surviving.

Ordinarily, she would not have been afraid of death. It was something that all Tandarens were taught. Death was merely another step in life's journey, and not an ending. However, at this very moment, death seemed to her a very fearful thing. Because she felt that there was still something that she was supposed to find out, something that she still had to experience.

That feeling was compounded when Megamind hurried over to her side, and cradled her in his arms. And then the strangest thing of all happened. Megamind, his eyes wide with desperation and despair, said, "Kaitoia, please don't die. We've only just begun."

Megamind had not at all addressed Kaitoia by her given name, not even in her dreams. But now, he seemed to say it as though it were the most natural thing in the world for him to say. And, she felt that it would be wrong for him to call her anything else. But before she could focus on those words any longer, she was pulled from the dream, and back into the world of reality.

She awoke trembling and in a cold sweat. The first thing that she saw was Seren, who was curled up on her chest, her large golden eyes filled with obvious concern. "Mistress, are you all right?"

Kaitoia shook her head, her mind filled with the images which she had just seen. "I don't think so, Seren."

"The same vision that you had before you left Chandos IV?" At Kaitoia's nod, Seren frowned, "Strange, you have not had that vision in six months time. What could have aroused it now?"

"Only that the other two have come true in some form or other. It stands to reason that this one should be coming soon."

"Do you have any idea what it could mean?"

"No, Seren." Said Kaitoia, in frustration. "I still don't understand what I'm supposed to get out of seeing myself die and Megamind kneeling over me with that look on his face and…." She suddenly stopped, as the last few moments of the dream came back to her. "Wait; there was something different this time. He called me Kaitoia, my given name. I think that he knew that I was a Tandaren. And something more than even that, almost."

"Mistress, what do you mean?"

Kaitoia did not answer for a long time. This dream had finally made her begin to suspect openly what had only been a subconscious wish and thought before. Surely, what the dream had meant to imply could not be true, it was impossible. And yet, how else to explain the bond which was growing ever stronger between her and Megamind? There really was no other explanation. And if it could turn out to be true…

She got to her feet, and headed hurriedly out to the living room. "Mistress, where are you going? What is the matter?"

Kaitoia didn't respond, she was too focused on this realization which was tearing away at her. There was only one way that she could be certain of this. She was suddenly very grateful that she and Melisande had been too tired to wash the dishes from that night's dinner. She quickly located the glass that Megamind had used and brought it over to her computer. Though it resembled the laptop that was so prevalent among human society, her device was a far more advanced Tandaren computer, with all the capabilities, including the ability to scan DNA.

She set the glass down on the scanning pad and entered the commands for scanning the DNA of Megamind with any known Tandaren in the database. The Tandaren genetics database was comprehensive. Every infant was recorded in the system within hours of their birth. It was one of the things which had remained in tact from the failure of the Great Experiment. Tandarens used it all the time to trace their ancestry and history. Kaitoia had never had a need of it, until now. If what she was suspecting was true, she knew that it would show up here.

"What are you expecting to find, Mistress?" asked Seren, as Kaitoia put the glass on the scanner of her computer and began to run the necessary tests.

"I don't know. Nothing perhaps, but than again, it could change everything." Kaitoia could feel her heart pounding, and her hands were trembling. She knew exactly what she was looking for.

The scanning seemed to take hours. Kaitoia waited in tense silence. Whatever she might have been expecting or hoping, she was still stunned when the scanning was finally finished and gave her the answer. She stared at the screen, unable to form any sort of coherent sentence or even thought. Could it be true? What if it wasn't? What if there had been a mistake?

She ran the test again, and then again. She ran it five times more, and each time, the screen showed her the same answer. "Mistress, I do believe that you have effectively erased all margin for error." Said Seren.

Kaitoia knew that Seren was right. This was not a fluke; the answer that the computer had given her must be the truth. She read the words again and again, as if trying to process them and to make herself believe that they were all true. _"Sujan. Parents: Ciqala and Alyiah. Sibling: Kaitoia (Gifted). Age: Eight days. Whereabouts: Unknown, supposed deceased after the destruction of Tandara._

Now Kaitoia understood the truth. In the chaos surrounding the destruction of the star which gave life to Tandara and Nyra, there had been several escape pods fired off into the atmosphere. The fleet which had been stationed in orbit above both planets had tried to pick up as many as they could, as well as beaming people up from the surface, but at a certain point, the entire fleet had needed to abandon the effort, as they were in danger of being sucked into the black hole which had engulfed Tandara and Nyra. In fact, the last memories that she ever received from her parents had been of them placing little Sujan into one of the last escape pods. But she had assumed that the attempt had failed, as all contact after that had been severed.

But now, now she knew that wasn't the case. The truth rushed in upon her with blinding force. The computer scan had merely confirmed what she had known subconsciously all along. That was the reason why such an intense bond had formed with Megamind so quickly. The bonds which Tandaren siblings shared were incredibly strong. They formed within hours of birth, and grew stronger with the passing of years. No wonder Kaitoia had always felt incredibly protective of Megamind, so intent on helping him even when it flew in the face of all logic. It had nothing to do with the mission or the fact that he was the only other Tandaren on Earth. No, it went much deeper than that.

Sujan was alive. Megamind was Sujan. Megamind was her brother.

This revelation was so astonishing that Kaitoia could only sit in numb silence and stare at the screen and the words which had changed her entire future. The first thing that she felt was a strange sense of confusion. For twenty eight years, the greater majority of her adult life, she had always assumed that her family was dead. She had thought that she would never feel such a connection like that ever again. The sudden realization that she had a family was more of a shock than anything.

And yet, when she finally was able to process it, all she felt was a joy that was so overpowering that it almost hurt. She had a family, a true family. Megamind was everything that she had hoped her brother would grow up to be. She was so proud of him. She now understood what that deeper emotion was she had always felt in his presence. It was love.

Melisande had been sleeping in the other room. She had heard the disturbance going on in the living room, and she came in to see Kaitoia with a stunned and numbed look on her face, and Seren looking on in compassion. "What's going on here?" She asked, "Kaitoia, are you all right?"

Kaitoia looked at Melisande, her eyes wide, as she struggled to come to terms with what she had learned herself. "I don't know. It's so strange. I never could have guessed this, but I should have, right from the start. Right from the moment I saw him, I knew that something was different. But I just couldn't see it at all."

"Kaitoia, what are you talking about?"

Kaitoia could hardly answer, for though her mind was coming to terms with what this meant to her, actually saying it was a different matter entirely. Saying it would actually make it real. At last, she said, haltingly, "Megamind, he… he's my brother."

Melisande stared at Kaitoia in confused shock. "Your brother? You mean Sujan?" Kaitoia nodded mutely, "But he's dead, you told me so yourself."

"I thought that he was dead, I could have sworn it. The last thing that I remember of my parents is that they sent Sujan up into the atmosphere in an escape pod, but the link was severed immediately after that. After the fleet went into light seed, there was no reason to go back and look for survivors. I just thought…" Kaitoia could not hold back the tears any longer, and she buried her face in her hands and began to cry. She didn't really know why she was crying: maybe from the joy that she was no longer alone, or just the old pain of having lost her entire family.

It was ironic that at this moment, the roles in this friendship were reversed. It had always been Melisande who had been the emotional one of the pair, while Kaitoia had allowed logic and reason to dictate her choices. Now, Melisande found that she would have to be the strong one, because Kaitoia was to overcome by many conflicting emotions to be able to think straight.

"Kaitoia, are you sure?"

"Yes, I just ran tests on his DNA, five times. Each time, the answer has come back the same. And there's been this bond developing between us, ever since I first saw him. It's the same bond that develops between Tandaren siblings at birth. It's been so many years since I felt it, that I didn't recognize it. They also get stronger over time, so the strength of it was completely unfamiliar to me."

"Is that why you healed Charles Hayworth?" asked Melisande, beginning to understand why Kaitoia could sometimes be so emotional when it came to Megamind.

"Yes, I had to do whatever I could to help him." said Kaitoia, "I didn't think of the consequences if I knew that I would spare him any amount of pain."

Something else occurred to Melisande. "But, wait, if Megamind is your brother, what about Minion? Why didn't you recognize him right away? You always told me that he was there when Sujan was first born."

"Melis, I didn't recognize Minion because I really only met him as Chota for five days. You remember that all Gifteds leave their families when they are ten years old to study with a master in their area. That happened to me. My parents got Chota a year after I left, and though they communicated with me, I didn't really meet him until I went back home for Sujan's birth. Plus, he is a Yun, the most common type of Minion that there is, and they all resemble each other. They don't often start to speak until their charges do. I knew that Chota was going to be a special Minion for my brother, but beyond that, I really wasn't able to distinguish him. Plus, once Tandara was destroyed and my family missing, I think that I just forgot about him."

"Well, I think that's pretty much established as certain then." Said Melisande, "The question is what we do about it now, though I think that the answer should be obvious even to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Kaitoia, you have got to tell Megamind the truth. Everything, who we are, why we're here, and that he's not alone."

Kaitoia nodded. "I know, I know that I have to do that. And I will, as soon as this battle is out of the way."

"Battle? What battle?"

"I saw it in my vision. Typhoon is going to attack in two days time. I think that I know what her plan will be. Megamind will only have one chance to defeat her. Whichever way it goes, we need to get a plan together, and fast."

* * *

So, Kaitioia finally knows that she is the sister of Megamind. And it seems that new troubles are about to be brewing. How will it come out in the end? You will be finding out soon. In the meantime, please read and review.

Next time: Everything has been leading to this. The final battle begins between hero and villain, forcing secrets into the open.


	39. The Clash

Sorry that it has been kind of a long time between updates. I am taking some summer classes and I just got a new job, so I have been trying to balance all of that along with my stories. Plus, this is also the last battle, so I really want to make sure that it's good. However, just to make up for it, I have posted two nice long chapters. Enjoy.

The Clash:

Two days had passed. During that time, Metro City had become little more than a ghost town. Once the time of Typhoon's attack had been revealed, the law enforcement had done their utmost to get the citizens out of the city. The people who had been able to be evacuated had been advised to stay undercover until the all clear was given. Of course, there was no way of knowing just what would happen in the course of the next twelve hours. That all clear could very well be long in coming.

Tabitha Davenport, known as Typhoon in practically every news report about her that had been blaring over the Metro City air waves ever since the bombing, did not care about this. She did not care what things looked like at the start, so long as the after effects were properly disastrous.

She had set all of her plans in motion. The final conflict was about to begin, and she was going to make sure that it would be a great and glorious victory, as well as a sign to all villains who hesitated in their course that such a choice could only end in disaster. She was planning on a two-pronged attack one that would force Megamind to split his resources, and he would not be able to focus on one side without losing ground. She was going to face him at the city's water treatment plant. Where better to take full advantage of her ability to control water than at a place where all the water of the city was at her command. As a grand finale to Megamind's defeat, she was even thinking of poisoning the water supply of Metro City. Nothing like a little mass murder to get the point across.

The second part of her attack had to do with her men, her ice bots and Hal himself creating mayhem and destruction in the streets. Hal, though he had been restored to his powers, had been a great deal humbler since her outburst. It was quite clear even to him that he was regarded as anything but integral. He knew that, but he could not dare to stand against her again. His life hung by a thread, and he had to play by her rules if he wants to survive. It was the only way that he could hope to gain some rewards from the victory he is certain will come.

Everything seemed in place. The only potential problem was the weather. For the past few weeks, there had been a severe heat wave in Metro City. She didn't necessarily suspect her sister. She was certain that her sister would never put Greg in danger. The only concern she has is that the water in the atmosphere will be harder to gain control of. There was a chance that her own powers would not be as strong. But those concerns are secondary. She was certain that nothing would stand in her way.

However, she had made one simple mistake that had the potential to undermine all of her most carefully laid plans. She had underestimated Megamind, his intelligence and the support that he had to draw on.

Megamind had not been idle in his planning. He had already come up with a plan of his own for facing down Typhoon. He did not know if it was full proof. But one thing he knew for certain: it was a plan he could count on. He had split up the people who had offered their help to him, making use of each of their own talents and gifts as he saw fit. To himself and Minion, fell the task of breaking Typhoon's blockade at the plant. That was difficult enough with their own crew of brain bots, but that also left them the issue of what to do in the city. Keeping the streets clean of the threat from the DOOM Syndicate would be the figure of Wayne himself. As there were no reporters keeping tabs on the battle, there would hopefully not be anyone who would expose the secret of his still being alive.

Melisande and Bernard had been given the crucial task of keeping communications open between the various parties in the struggle. Megamind managed to somehow outfit a special car with all the equipment that they needed in the course of a few short days. It required that they focus on multiple channels, and also keeping from getting themselves blown up by Typhoon's ice bots.

However, it had fallen to Roxanne to take over the most dangerous and quite possibly most important role of any of them. Much against Megamind's protests, she had insisted that she must remain in the city, covering the events as she did any other conflict. She was also presenting herself as bait, a distraction to Hal from his appointed task, as she knew that he would not be able to resist her. Megamind had said that if he wasn't there to protect her, Hal would certainly kill her. However, Roxanne had insisted. She was not going to sit on the sidelines this time. Besides, she wouldn't be alone. If things got out of control, she would be able to contact someone.

Strangely, Megamind had only assented when Kaitlin herself had promised him that she would not allow any harm to come to Roxanne, and that she would defend her with her very life if need be. Megamind did not know why, but he sensed that Kaitlin meant that promise, and that he could trust her with Roxanne's life as he would with no one else.

And so, everything had come together for both sides as they had planned. And the on the appointed day, the clash began.

* * *

If there was anything that Kaitoia had learned from studying the ancient wars between her people and the Nairians, it was that battles were above all else, confusing places. There were always multiple events happening at once, people shouting in every direction with different orders for each person. That aspect of battles never seemed to change. For even as she filmed Roxanne as she reported on the battle which was occurring around her, she somehow felt that she was one small part in it, and that what happened today would be the work of several people, and not just a few.

She and Roxanne had worked their way into one of the main plazas of the city, just a few blocks from the Megamind Museum and Town Hall. Destruction was already reigning all around them. Typhoon's ice bots, which were larger and crueler versions of the robotic servants that obeyed Megamind's commands, were peppering the city with ice pellets that could shred the skin of anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in their path. They were also equipped with some type of ice ray, which froze cars and parts of buildings in a block of solid ice. These blocks of ice were quickly shattered Typhoon's living henchmen, wearing dark blue uniforms and riding on some type of hover bike equipped with guns, blowing apart not only the ice, but anyone unfortunate to stand in their way.

"How long do you think until they get a focus on our position?" asked Roxanne, as the two of them got out of the van which they had been using to follow the progress of the battle.

"I don't know. Ten minutes, tops." Said Kaitlin, "Don't worry, I've got my eye on them. You just worry about looking great for the camera."

Roxanne managed a half hearted smile. "Yeah, it's easy to look all perky when ice bombs are falling all around you and somewhere in the sky is a psychopath waiting to kill you."

"It's something to do with being female, I think." Said Kaitlin, "We have that aura about us, don't we?"

Roxanne quickly got into her position, and in that time, Kaitoia heard Seren, who was keeping pace with her and Roxanne, speak to her telepathically, _"I am keeping my eye out for Hal, Mistress. Nothing so far. But that will most certainly change. The closer Roxanne gets to the fighting, the more likely she is to run into him."_

"_I think that's part of her plan. Just be sure to tell me the moment you sense him. I have to keep my promise to my brother; no harm is going to come to my Second Sister."_

"_Of course, Mistress."_

Roxanne was ready to begin her story, and she signaled for Kaitlin to begin recording. "The skies above Metro City have become a battle ground." She said, "Typhoon's ice bots and her other followers are on the attack, and they should be considered extremely dangerous. They have the firepower to take out an entire home, and what they have done to some citizens unfortunate enough to be caught in the crossfire are to terrible to repeat. Once again, I must repeat to everyone watching, stay inside. Do not come out until the all clear is given. You are taking your life into your own hands if you try to take these things on."

Roxanne continued, moving about the plaza to show some signs of the damage that had been caused. Kaitoia followed her, focused on her surroundings as much as the camera works. Not for the first time was she thankful that the Tandaren mind had been adapted for multitasking. However, all other thoughts left her mind when she heard Seren's panicked warning. _"Mistress, he is here!"_

Instantly, Kaitoia dropped the camera, scanning the skies above. "Kaitlin, what's the matter?" asked Roxanne, nervously.

"Hal, he's here."

"What? How do you know?"

Kaitoia looked at her to respond, and as she did so, her eyes grew wide, and she cried out, "Roxanne, duck!"

Completely on instinct, Roxanne threw herself to the ground, two red beams of light missing her by mere inches. This was followed a moment later by a cold, mocking laugh and a voice straight out of her nightmares. "Miss me, Roxie?"

From out of the blue sky, Hal appeared, hovering only a few feet from her. He was dressed in his trademark red and white Titan outfit, and the look that he threw in Roxanne's direction was nothing short of hatred incarnate. "I've called off the rest of the attackers. I've got you all to myself, so I can do with you what I should have done in the first place."

"Roxanne, no." screamed Kaitoia, as she hurried forward.

Hal turned quick as lightening and struck Kaitoia hard across the face, pushing her nearly halfway down the street. Her progress only stopped by a rather sturdy brick building. For a moment, she was completely disoriented. She shook her head, trying to get the stars out of her eyesight. She suddenly felt Seren's cool, scaly skin sliding over her hand. "Mistress, are you all right?"

Kaitoia finally managed to get her head cleared. "I believe so, Seren. It would take a lot more than that to break me."

"Yes, you have the advantage of a strong bone structure. But Roxanne does not have those advantages. Hal has her cornered, and Megamind cannot help her this time."

Kaitoia looked back to where she had been struck. Sure enough, there was Roxanne, backed into a corner by Hal, who had a cruel, almost sadistic smile on his face, his eyes glowing an unnatural shade of red. At that very moment, Kaitoia found that she was presented with a choice, one not unlike that she had been having to face continually during her stay on Earth: to reveal herself to help others, and possibly destroy her cover or to stay hidden and safe. However, this time, it wasn't much of a choice. The knowledge that Megamind was her brother and that Roxanne was his intended partner meant that the human woman was one her nearest relatives, and therefore, under her protection. This time, Kaitoia did not hesitate in what she needed to do.

She looked at Seren. "I know that look." Said Seren, "Though I see it more on Melisande than on you. You're about to do something totally crazy, aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am. Are you with me?"

Seren smiled, as her size began to lengthen and increase, a spark of electric energy beginning to glow along her skin. "Mistress, it would be a pleasure."

Hal and Roxanne had noticed none of this. Indeed, with the force that Hal had thrown her, they were both sure that she had been killed. Roxanne therefore thought that she was completely at Hal's mercy, and it was quite clear from the look in his eyes, that mercy was not something that she would be getting.

"Where's your big, blue hero now?" Hal taunted triumphantly, "He's not here when you really need him. And if Typhoon is doing her work right, you won't be seeing him ever again. Should have gone with me when you had the chance, Roxie."

Anger flared in Roxanne's eyes. "I would take one day, one hour with Megamind before I ever considered a lifetime with you."

Hal shrugged, "Your loss, Roxanne."

His eyes went brighter and Roxanne closed her eyes, not wanting that evil, ugly face to be the last thing that she saw. She waited for the burning of Hal's laser vision to end her life, but she didn't feel it. In fact, she felt nothing. Puzzled, she opened her eyes and was stunned by what she saw. The reason why Hal was not melting her face off was because she was enclosed in a violet bubble of rippling energy that was impervious to Hal's laser vision.

And the one who was producing it was none other than Kaitlin. Standing in front of Roxanne, it seemed like Kaitlin had powers which were beyond her understanding. However, it seemed to have an even stronger effect upon Hal. When his laser vision fizzled out, he stared at Kaitlin, first in confusion, than in mounting terror and horror. He did not know the woman who was in front of him; however, he had seen her before. He had seen her in the depths of his deepest nightmares.

"You! What are you? How are you doing this?" He spluttered, even as he backed away a little from the purple glowing bubble that was surrounding her and Roxanne.

Kaitlin smiled coldly, "You don't remember me, Hal? How tragic. I was hoping that you would, considering our last encounter was so warm. Of course, I did see to it myself that you wouldn't remember anything, so I guess that I should congratulate myself on a job well done."

"But what are you? You… You can't be doing this. No mere human can stand up to me. I am invincible."

"Oh really? Well, Hal, we shall soon see about that." No sooner had she said the words left her mouth, than she drew back and made a throwing motion with her hand. Roxanne saw a bright, purple projectile come from Kaitlin's hand, break from the shield and hit Hal square in the chest. It threw him back several feet, and earned them a temporary respite from his assault.

Kaitlin turned to Roxanne. "Roxanne, are you all right?"

Roxanne was so stunned by what she had just witnessed that she could hardly form a coherent sentence. "I… I… Yes. Kaitlin, what on earth… How did you…?"

"Roxanne, there is no time. We have to get under some sort of cover. I don't know how long we can count on Hal's being so scared of me."

"What on earth are you talking about? And what did you throw at him?"

"Oh, plasma bolt. Quite useful at close range when dealing with hostile forces. Never thought that I would have to use it, of course."

"Wait, you expect me to believe that you can conjure a plasma bolt from your bare hand, out of thin air?"

In answer, Kaitlin flicked her hand, and there in her hand was a sparking mass of violet energy. She threw it at Hal once more, which knocked him from the sky and down to the earth. The next second, he was screaming as he began to struggle with… something. Roxanne couldn't see anything, but Hal could clearly feel something slithering and coiling around him, and he was fighting to be rid of it. There also seemed to be sparks of white electricity skating over his skin, and causing him no small amount of discomfort.

Roxanne was completely open-mouthed by what she was seeing. But to Kaitlin it seemed the most natural thing in the world. She reached into her jacket and pulled out something, a gun that looked a little like Megamind's Dehydration Gun, but this one was slightly smaller, and seemed to have only one setting. "Can you shoot?" asked Kaitlin.

"What?"

"Can you shoot? This isn't the same thing as a gun, but it will have to do. I can't have you running around out there unarmed. You need some sort of weapon."

"Yeah, I can shoot." Roxanne said, numbly. For once in her life, she had absolutely nothing clever to say, and realized that the only thing she could really do was just do what she was told. "Being kidnapped constantly meant that I wanted to have at least some knowledge of defending myself, even if I never needed it with Megamind."

"Well, I fear that you're going to be needing it right now." said Kaitlin, as she shoved the weapon into Roxanne's hand. She saw Roxanne look from the gun to her, a questioning light in her eyes. "Roxanne, please, there is no time. Hal will be getting reinforcements any minute. We have to get out of here and under cover. I know that none of this makes sense, but I promise that I will explain everything when this is over. Right now, all I can ask is that you trust me."

It was true that Roxanne really had no idea what was going on. But she did know thing. She could trust Kaitlin. She did not know how any of this could be possible, but she knew Kaitlin to well to think that she had ever meant anything other than her safety. She buried all of her questions in the back of her mind, and focused her mind on the matter at hand. "All right. Lead the way. What's the plan?"

Kaitlin pointed to a large section of building and rubble which had been broken by the battle thus far. It was across the plaza, and it would take a run to get there, especially if Hal managed to refocus his attention on them or if more reinforcements arrived. However, it was the safest place in the surrounding area. "We get there. Once we do, I can establish a shield that will keep any large debris out. But it will only last as long as my strength can give out."

"And how long is that?" Roxanne asked, a little nervous.

"An hour. But a lot can happen in that time. But if we can get some more people of our own, then perhaps we can regroup."

"But who else can we call?"

Kaitlin smiled. "Leave that to me, Roxanne. Let's get over there first. Let's get going."

Roxanne nodded. The shield went down, and the two friends began to race across the plaza to their safe haven.

* * *

Meanwhile, a few miles away from them, both Melisande and Bernard were on the run, or rather on the drive. They had been monitoring communications between all the various parties in the resistance in a specially designed car, courtesy of Megamind. Unfortunately, there hadn't been time to install the invisibility feature, and they had only been able to avoid detection for so long. Typhoon's own robotic fighters had spotted them, and they were now pursuing the car, with the evident goal of freezing them in a giant block of ice.

"Well, this is certainly an odd date." Said Bernard, as they blazed through the streets.

Melisande was at the wheel. Her advanced vision and quicker reflexes meant that she had quickly commandeered command of the wheel, almost against Bernard's objections. She turned at him and smiled, at the exact same moment that she jerked the wheel sharply to the left in order to avoid a blast from one of the ice bots. "You consider this a date, then?"

"Hey, why not? If we weren't avoiding the danger of dying every five minutes, than I would suggest that we stop somewhere and do a little parking."

"Parking? What's that?"

"I'll tell you about it sometime. Better yet, I'll demonstrate."

"I'll hold you to that." Suddenly Melisande's voice trailed off. Confusion grew on her face. "What the-"

"Melisande, is everything all right?"

"I don't know. For a second there, I could have sworn that I heard Kaitoia."

"Kaitoia?"

"Yeah. She can do that. Sometimes speak in your mind, but it's harder for her to do it with people who aren't telepathic." She winced for a moment, and said, "Oh, okay, it is her."

"_About time I managed to get through to you." _said Kaitoia, in irritation. _"We have a situation at 27__th__ and Parker. Hal's got us pinned down."_

"And what are we supposed to do about it?" asked Melisande, who knew that Kaitoia could hear her just fine in her mind, but she preferred responding in her own voice.

"_We need you down here, Melisande."_

"You know what that would imply." Said Melisande, "We can't make much difference if we're just in our regular human disguises."

"_I'm afraid I've already done that." _

"Oh no, what did you do?"

"_What if I told you it might be a good idea to blow our cover?"_

When she heard this, a big grin spread across Melisande's face. "I'd say that it would be about time. We'll be there in five minutes."

Bernard had only been on one end of the conversation, but he could sort of reconstruct it based on Melisande's reaction. "Something big happen?"

"Oh yeah, definitely." She reached for the controls pushed the car up to his highest speed. "Hang on, Bernard. We're about to get a lot faster."


	40. Black Fire

Black Fire:

Roxanne and Kaitoia had managed to get to their makeshift shelter amidst the fallen debris of several separate skyscrapers. There they paused to catch their breath. "I can't get Megamind on the communicator anymore." said Roxanne. "I think that Bernard and Melissa have been jammed. At least, I hope that's what happened. I don't want to think that they've been destroyed."

"Don't worry. They haven't been harmed." Said Kaitoia, "You're right about the car being destroyed, though. Luckily, they were both able to get cleared of it."

"How do you even…?" Roxanne shook her head, "You know, on second thought. Don't tell me."

"Might be for the best, it would take a little while to explain."

Roxanne threw her a pointed look. "But after all this is over, you do owe me an explanation."

"I owe a lot of people that."

Their conversation was abruptly broken off when Kaitoia's attention was drawn by a voice from above them. "Mistress, are in there?"

"Seren, we're over here. Are you all right?"

Roxanne had pretty thought that she could see everything that day which could surprise her, however, when she saw the large, golden snake slithering through the cracks in the debris, she was proven wrong. Even more so when the voice she had heard before apparently came from the snake herself. "I am quite all right, Mistress. There is very little that second rate Nairian strength can do that would harm me. But Hal managed to destroy my invisibility collar." She turned her large golden eyes upon Roxanne's stunned expression. "As current evidence would suggest."

"What is that?" Roxanne managed to stammer out. "How is she…?"

"This might fall under the category of things that you might want to wait for a more detailed explanation of." Said Kaitoia, "This also isn't the best time for introductions, but it will have to do. Roxanne, this is Seren. She's my Minion."

"Pleased to meet you properly at last, Roxanne." said Seren, "Though I do have to say I feel as though I know you already."

"Oh, right. Wait, how do you know me?"

"I have been observing, though my Mistress, your interactions ever since you two met. You are a truly fascinating individual human female."

"Uh, thank you, I think." Said Roxanne, not sure if that was meant to be taken as a compliment.

"Seren, how did you manage to get away from Hal without him seeing you?" asked Kaitoia.

"That's what I came to tell you, Mistress. Hal managed to throw me off, but he was distracted by someone coming into the plaza. Melisande and Bernard, they have come here at last."

"Oh, good. I hope that they can get here in safety."

When Melisande and Bernard came into the plaza, Hal caught sight of them immediately. The full force of his rage had been aroused by this point, and he was itching to let loose destruction on someone. These two presented ideal targets. "Hey, you two losers, looks like you took a wrong turn."

Melisande paused and looked at him, before glancing at Bernard questioningly. "That's the best he could come up with?"

"He was actually worse according to Megamind."

"Really? I do pity Megamind."

"Hey, stop ignoring me." said Hal, rather petulantly. How was he supposed to subdue these people with terror if they didn't pay any attention to him? Perhaps a more concrete presentation of his awesome evil powers would put an end to that. "Well, here is a little present from me to you." With that, Hal picked up a nearby convertible and threw it in their direction.

Bernard's next actions were based entirely on instinct. Chivalry was not completely dead in his family. When he saw the car that was hurdling towards them, he immediately forgot any thought for his own safety, only that Melisande herself should not come to any harm. He pushed her out of the way, taking the full brunt of the impact himself.

"Bernard!" screamed Melisande, in horror, as she saw the car crush him underneath its weight. She immediately scrambled to her feet and hurried over to the car. She began to rip the car apart with her bare hands, not caring at this point who noticed. All she could think was that she had to get to Bernard before it was too late. "Bernard, you idiot! Why did you do that? Did you forget that I'm more indestructible than you? I should have been the one who took that impact not you. Come on, Bernard, answer me."

At last, she found him, smashed into the pavement underneath the pavement. Lifting up the car as though it weighed no more than a feather, she tossed it aside, picked up Bernard's unconscious figure in her arms, and took off. Bernard's weight was nothing to her, but even as she flew to the place where the others were making their stand, her heart sank as she began to realize how badly Bernard was wounded. His pulse was thready and uneven, his breathing was shallow and the color of his skin was ashen. Melisande's only thought at this point had become a burning obsession: Bernard couldn't die, he just couldn't. She wouldn't allow it.

Hal had not noticed any of this. He was simply that unobservant. He had thought that those two puny citizens were now out of the picture and he could get back to trying to find where Roxanne and her camera girl were hiding. It was like they were invisible to him or something, it made absolutely no sense. His infra red vision thingy should have picked them up by now. "Come on, Roxie, come out, come out wherever you are. Come and play with me. You'll lose, but that's no reason to not play fair."

In their cover, Roxanne looked at Kaitlin, who was sitting on the ground, eyes closed, obviously focusing intently on something. The snake was curled across her lap, and it seemed almost as though she were drawing in energy from the reptile. She didn't know if she should be talking, but she was burning with curiosity. Why on Earth wasn't Hal finding them? She could hear him, clear as day. He was just beyond the wall of twisted concrete and metal that they were hiding behind?

"I'm deadening our life signs to his senses." Kaitlin, her eyes still closed.

"What?"

"I'm answering your question. I'm focusing on a shield that hides us from him. He can't hear us or see us."

"How did you know that's what I was-?"

Kaitlin smiled. Her eyes remained closed, and it didn't seem as though her concentration was being broken at all. "I can hear it pounding away in your head, Roxanne. I just wanted to answer it so that it would stop distracting me."

"Oh, sorry." Roxanne suddenly realized what she had just heard. "Wait a minute, you can read my mind now?"

"Oh, not just now, I've been doing it since I met you. Don't worry. It's just something that I do with everyone."

Roxanne could hardly believe that they were having this conversation. She could hardly believe half of what she had seen Kaitlin do let alone what she was saying. But then again, now that she thought about it, there had always been something about Kaitlin which had seemed different. She had always seemed to be able to pick up in the nuances of conversation, even seeming to smile at secrets that only she was aware of. And how was it that she always seemed to know the answer to a question before it was ever asked? Roxanne found herself wondering if any of this should have come as a surprise to her, when perhaps it had been hinted at for months.

On the other hand, she wasn't quite ready to get into that conversation. After all, such things would hardly do her any good if she was dead. She was quite willing to go along with Kaitlin if it meant that they could escape from Hal. "So, this shield thing? How long will it last?"

"I don't know. It comes from my mental energies. With Seren I can keep it going a little longer, but it's not indefinite. An hour, perhaps, at the most."

"Well, a lot can happen in an hour, I hope." Said Roxanne.

At this moment, the snake looked up from Kaitlin's lap, and said, "Mistress, look."

Kaitlin's eyes opened, and though her concentration still seemed maintained, she did look up to the sky, as did Roxanne. There, high above them and coming in for a swift landing were two figures. One was the familiar form of Wayne, who veered off suddenly, pushing a large portion of glass and cement out from a nearby building. That must have been a diversionary tactic because Hal immediately zoomed off in that direction, cursing and swearing that he would kill whoever had interrupted his search.

The second figure was Melissa. Melissa Thornton, who she had thought to be a simple astronomer, was flying with all the ease and acrobatics of Wayne himself. Not only that, but she was holding something in her arms, and the look of desperation in her eyes was nothing short of heartbreaking.

She landed almost too perfectly, and immediately rushed over to Kaitlin. "Kaitoia, its Bernard. Hal crushed him with a car. He's dying. You have to help him."

Roxanne initially had no idea who Kaitoia was, until Kaitlin responded. "Melis, slow down. What happened?"

It was only then that Roxanne saw the twisted form of Bernard in Melissa's arms. She gasped in astonishment at how pale and deathly still he appeared to be. Melissa tearfully related the entire incident, or babbled it off would be more accurate. Though Kaitlin seemed to understand, Roxanne was left even more hopelessly confused. What did she mean when she said that she should have been the one to take the brunt of the impact? Wasn't Melisande as human as Bernard? She would only have been crushed as well. But then again, she had just flown in here holding Bernard as though his weight meant nothing to her. Maybe she would have been able to survive a car crash.

By the time Melisande finished her narrative, the tears were flowing from her face and if anything, her eyes had become more desperate and pleading. "Kaitoia, please," she begged, "Please, you have to save him."

Kaitlin had been looking at Bernard's body, and somehow Roxanne got the feeling that she was doing so with more than her eyes. At last, she looked at Melissa and her eyes were grim. "Melisande, I don't know if I can do this."

"What you mean, you can't. You saved Charles Hayworth, didn't you? And his injuries were just as bad as Bernard's."

Roxanne's mouth dropped open when she heard the reference to Charles. "What do you mean, you saved Charles?"

"Melis, even I have limits. I can't possibly keep up the shield that's concealing us from Hal while also healing Bernard at the same time. That would be stretching my powers to thin. I have to get us all out of this."

Melisande sat back on her heels, and looked down, shoulders trembling with suppressed sobs. However, as the seconds passed, she also began to feel something else overtaking the sadness. An ancient instinct that she had never thought would be unleashed within her was beginning to assert itself. It influenced her thought patterns until she was not only thinking of losing Bernard; she was remembering the person who had done this to him in first place.

Hal. Hal Stewart that creeping, murderous, cowardly slime. A man who knew nothing about life, and less so about the powers which he had inherited. He did not have the power of one Nairian male. He wasn't even a Nairian, he was a cheap copy, and she was willing to bet one who had no idea what he was dealing with. Would he be able to stand against a real female of the species? She did not think so.

All this was going on in the depths of Melisande's mind, and she was paying no attention at all to what was happening around her. She didn't notice it when Wayne landed quickly right beside them. "Hey guys, Minion was able to get your last signal, though it faded pretty quickly after that. Megamind told me to get over here pronto. Looks like it's a good thing that I did."

"How is Megamind?" Roxanne asked who, even in the midst of her own danger and confusion, was concerned first and foremost for her boyfriend. "Is he safe?"

"He was when I left him. He and Minion and the rest of the brain bots are making some good headway. They were just about to break through the blockade when I left." He caught sight of Bernard's broken body and a shadow passed over his face. "Oh no, no. not Bernard. This will kill Megamind. What happened?"

"Hal happened." Said Roxanne, "He tried to hit Melissa and Bernard with a car. Bernard pushed Melisande out of the way to save her life."

"Isn't there anything you can do?" asked Wayne.

"I don't know." said Kaitlin, honestly.

Melisande suddenly spoke. "Kaitoia, could you save Bernard if Hal were no longer a threat?"

All eyes turned to Melisande in shock, for her voice sounded completely different. Gone was the normally laughing and joking tone. Replacing it was a hard and dangerous voice, one that was almost cruel in its hatred. For Melisande had succumbed to the predatory instinct that had once ruled her people, an instinct that was ruled by rage. She would face Hal, she would destroy him, and she would enjoy every moment of it.

"Yes, yes, I think I could." Said Kaitoia, almost uneasily. She knew what was coming. She had never seen it firsthand herself, but she knew enough of Nairian physiology to know that argument at this stage would be impossible.

Melisande rose to her feet, and it seemed that her body had changed as much as her voice. Her every moment was precise and sharp as a readied knife poised for the kill. "Then take care of Bernard. I will deal with Hal. He has had it coming for a long time."

Both Wayne and Roxanne were stunned when they heard this pronouncement from her. "What? Are you crazy?" said Roxanne, "Hal will kill you before you set one foot out of the shelter."

But Melisande was beyond listening to anything resembling reason. She got to her feet, and began to make her way out of the shelter. Wayne, perhaps thinking that she would have appreciated some help, tried to intercept her. "Melisande, wait. You're going to need some help."

Wayne couldn't have known that help was the last thing that Melisande wanted. Turning like lightening, she grabbed Wayne by the shoulder and threw him against the wall, hard. Wayne had never exactly been on the receiving end of such treatment, and needless to say, he had a flash of understanding of what Megamind had gone through during their years of fighting each other. Roxanne was also surprised when she saw the woman that she thought was Melissa effortlessly bring down the strongest man in the world.

Melisande was trembling with rage, and the look of searing fury that she speared Wayne with even made him shudder somewhat. "Hal is mine." Spat Melisande, "Don't even try to interfere with my hunt, or I swear that I will make you regret it."

Without another word, she turned and shut up into the sky. Wayne looked at Kaitlin, his eyes wide with shock. "How could you just let her go like that? I mean, what happens if she gets hurt?"

"She won't be the one getting hurt." Said Kaitoia, grimly, "In fact, I would almost be more worried about her hurting Hal."

"What's going on with her?" asked Roxanne, "She looked like she was ready to kill Wayne. He was only trying to help."

"Melisande can't tell friend from foe at this point. She has gone almost entirely out of her mind with rage, and all she wants is to kill Hal. She couldn't see that Wayne was trying to help her, only that he was standing in her way, and perhaps even wanted some share of the credit. You can't go after her, Wayne. She must do this on her own."

"But what if she does kill Hal? What will happen to her conscious when she comes back to herself?" asked Roxanne.

"Then she'll have to deal with that when it comes. For right now, the only safe thing that any of us can do is simply leave her be. Keep a lookout you two. I still don't trust that we are alone. I don't want to be interrupted in healing Hal if anymore of those ice bots show up."

* * *

Hal had begun to get his confidence back. He hadn't been able to find Roxanne and the rest of her pathetic buddies, but he was still certain that they were somewhere around here, and he would find them in no time. If he didn't find them the easy way, he would just rip apart all of the buildings brick by brick until he found them quivering in terror before him. He had even tried shouting out these threats to them, but for some reason, they hadn't shown their faces.

He was just about to consider trying that to prove his point, when he suddenly heard a voice from down below him. "Hal Stewart."

Hal turned and looked down. There, standing in the middle of the street, making no attempt to hide herself, was a young woman with red hair and bright blue eyes. He vaguely recognized her as one of Megamind's allies. This meant that he would have a lot of fun working her over. However, he realized that she was staring at him without the slightest sign of fear. And when she spoke, her words were tinged with the sharpness of a knife. "You wanted a fight, well. Fight me. Here and now, one on one. We'll see who the real victor is in this, Hal."

Hal laughed. "You've got to be kidding me? You? You're just a puny little insect. I could crush you so easily that it wouldn't even be worth my time. And the name is Tighten. You should show a little respect to your future ruler."

"You are not my ruler, Hal. And you never will be. I will never call you anything but Hal Stewart. You have not earned the honor of a second title. You are merely a fool and a coward playing dress up."

This last insult stung Hal to the quick. "You are really gonna regret that you said that." He growled, as his eyes burned red. "I'll make you eat those words." He grabbed a car and threw it at her, fully intending to crush her into fine powder like he had her boyfriend.

However, Hal did not know that he had just made a fatal mistake. When he met Melisande, he had met a woman who was more than his match. The final act of violence of throwing the car pushed Melisande over the edge completely. The old ancestral curse of the Black Fire rage was unleashed. She felt it immediately, heat coursed through her veins, strengthening her and driving her to the kill. All her senses became sharper, as they focused in on one target. She now only had one goal in mind: the complete annihilation of Hal Stewart.

She launched herself into the air, grabbed the car by the front end and sent it hurling back at Hal. Hal was totally stunned when he saw his opponent take to the skies, and even more so when she threw the car back at him, and with a great deal more force. It hit him full force in the stomach and chest. He was sent spinning through the air, and slammed into the side of a brick building, before collapsing to the ground with a groan.

Dazed and confused, he was frozen with fear when he saw her gliding towards him. Melisande was gliding towards him, power radiating from her. Her every movement sharp and precise. But her eyes, her eyes were the most terrifying of all. Their normal laughing sky blue had been completely subsumed, by a black that was darker than night. They hard and glittering as diamonds, and somehow seemed to see everything.

"Is that the best that you have?" She asked, mockingly, "Come on, Hal Stewart, surely you can give me something to work with."

Hal realized that all of his mocks to his victims were nothing compared with this. This woman obviously had the ability to carry through with her threats. In her eyes there was such a cold ruthlessness that it was all that Hal could do to actually pick himself off the ground and take to the air once more. He wasn't fighting for the fun of it now. She wanted a fight, and somehow, he knew that if she didn't get one, she would simply kill him.

It was a foregone conclusion how the fight would turn out. Hal was desperate, and fighting for his life. Melisande was cool, and her blows were carefully calculated to bring down Hal to the very lowest level of his physical and psychological powers. She was in a league above him, and he knew it.

Therefore the fight was over before Hal was even certain that it had begun. Only it was ending with Melisande's arms clenched around his neck in an embrace that he couldn't get out of, and one that was clearly intended to choke the life from him. However, Melisande's predatory instincts told her that it would be no fun to simply kill Hal this way. Unexpectedly, she released Hal, who stumbled mid air a few strides struggling to get his breath back. He glanced back at Melisande, and paled when he saw that she was looking at him the way that a cat might look at a defenseless mouse.

"The rules seemed to have changed, Hal."

"Wha- what do you mean?" asked Hal, with a sinking feeling.

Melisande laughed coldly. "Shouldn't it be obvious, Hal? I am the hunter. You are the prey." She floated aside, leaving Hal a clear pathway of escape into the canyons between the sky scrapers. "Run."

Hal needed no second bidding. He didn't know how long he could hold out, but he certainly wasn't going to hang around and allow himself to be beaten into dust. He took off, and was gone from the sight of normal humans in a flash. However, Melisande was not worried. Indeed, her smiled grew wider. "But do not think for a minute that you will be able to hide."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Megamind's conflict with Typhoon reaches it's final the two opponents face off, Megamind finds himself helped from a most unexpected person, Kaitoia. It will only be now that he finally begins to understand just why she means so much to him.


	41. Victory and Defeat

Victory and Defeat:

At Metro City's Water Treatment Plant, the battle had been long and hard. Typhoon had set up an impressive defense, and it had proven difficult for Megamind and Minion, along with their brain bots to break through the ring which they had set up. However, perseverance and ingenuity and paid off in the end. They had managed to create a crack in their defenses, and Megamind had ordered the brain bots to hit with everything that the had. In the end, the industrious and determined little robots (qualities no doubt reflected by their maker), had broken through. This had allowed Megamind and Minion to get into the main compound and neutralize both Typhoon's human followers and her ice bots. Even now, Megamind's fairness towards an opponent was evident, as he had rigged a special laser beam which knocked out the humans, and a separate computer code to shut down the machines. It was imperative to him that he did not create more casualties than was absolutely necessary.

"Sir, we've done a sweep of the area, and there's no sign of Typhoon anywhere." Said Minion, as the police department arrived to begin hauling the criminals off to jail.

"I didn't think that she would be here in all honesty, Minion. She's most likely been driven inside. There's no way that she could call upon her water powers in this heat, otherwise, I'm sure that she would have been here. No, she's inside. That's where here advantage will be."

"If that's the case, than she must also be waiting for you."

"I know. She wants our last encounter to be just between me and her. And that's exactly what she will be getting. Minion, you might want to contact Lydia and Greg. Tell them that they can begin moving in if they want to. I am going to go in alone, and see if I can't get Typhoon to stand down."

Some of the nearby brain bots had been eavesdropping apparently. The little group of four hurried over to Megamind, beeping and blinking their domes urgently. "I don't think that 147, 56, 304, and 15 are going to allow you to go in by yourself, sir." Said Minion, with a smile. "You might as well have someone to watch your back."

Megamind also smiled, pride evident in his eyes as he surveyed his loyal creations. "All right, I suppose your right. Come on, everyone. Stay behind me and keep a sharp lookout."

As Megamind headed into the main entrance hall of the plant, he was struck by how strangely eerie it was. There was no hum and whir of machinery, no sound of people working. The place was empty and silent. He drew his de-hydration gun, though he didn't know how much good it would do him. Still, if Typhoon had set up any sort of traps, he wanted to be prepared.

Suddenly, Typhoon's ice cold voice broke through the silence. "Welcome to the final battle ground, Megamind. I have to admit that I am somewhat surprised that you actually managed to break through my men, but I think you will agree that it is extremely difficult to find good help these days."

Megamind looked around him, cautious. He suspected that Typhoon was funneling her voice through the PA system, and also rigged it so that he could respond. "You don't sound exactly sorry, though."

"No, part of me really isn't. This is so much more satisfying an ending, just the two of us, one on one."

"Typhoon, how much longer are we going to keep this up? Surely you must know that your chances of winning are slim at best. If you surrender now, you can still get out of this alive."

"Never be sure of victory until the last move has been played, Megamind. Besides, I have set up some lovely welcoming presents for you that I think will be quite challenging to avoid."

At this moment, the entire room came alive with laser guns hidden in little alcoves all around the room. It got one of the brain bots, while the others grabbed hold of Megamind and pushed him to safety beneath one of the desks in the room.

"Just so you know, there are other such traps hidden throughout the facility." Said Typhoon, "Hidden gas plates, roofs that might collapse if you step wrong, any one of them could kill you if you are not careful. You'll have to get passed all of them to find me, and even if you did, you don't know where I am, so you might have to search for me a very long time. And who's to say that you won't run into an accident if you do. Good luck, Megamind. You'll be needing it."

Megamind crouched beneath the desk, knowing that he was in a hard position. He couldn't hope to be aware of every single trap in the building and look for Typhoon at the same time. She was clever he had to admit that, very clever. He didn't really know how he was going to get out of this one.

It was at this point that something very strange happened in the very mind and soul of Megamind. Within the Tandaren physiology, the bond between two siblings was strong. And in times of trouble, when one was in danger, it often happened that the mind of the other was drawn into them, in order to aide them. For so many years, Kaitoia had been to far away to help Megamind, but now, when he needed someone most, she was there.

She had finished healing Bernard from his injuries. He would make a full recovery; she just hoped that Melisande would soon be sane enough in order to appreciate it. But no sooner had this happened, then she found that her mind was being inexorably pulled somewhere else, into the mind of someone that she had come to know very well: Megamind. Her brother was in danger, and she had to help him.

Megamind himself had been stumbling around the hallway, trying to avoid the hidden lasers which were firing randomly at him. But, he too felt the pull of another presence that he couldn't quite identify. But what he would remember about that moment was that time around him seemed to stop. He blinked his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was in a place that was black as space, but was shot through with golden lights, flashing brightly as stars, and others that glowed as steadily as stars. In their light, he suddenly saw Kaitlin standing in front of him. But she seemed slightly different, somehow. Her face kept flickering in and out of focus, switching from her human façade, to that of a blue-skinned woman who looked hauntingly like him.

"Kaitlin?" Megamind questioned, almost uncertain.

"Yes, it's me. You don't need to be afraid."

"Kaitlin, where are we? What is this place?"

"It's… Well, it's kind of hard to explain. It's a place where our thoughts are connected."

"Connected? As in telepathy? But that's not possible. You're human. You don't have these capabilities."

"Megamind, you have to listen to me. I can help you through what Typhoon is planning."

"How? You're not even here."

"You have got to be my eyes. If I can see what you're seeing, than I should be able to help you avoid that traps that Typhoon has set up for you."

"But what-?"

"No, you have got to trust me. I already lost you once, Sujan. I'm not going to let it happen again."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than she realized the true import of what she had just said. She had just spoken Megamind's true name, a name that he had never told her, and that she wasn't supposed to know. Megamind stared at her several seconds, a look of complete shock on his face. "How do you know my name?" he said, in an awed whisper.

Though, perhaps, in his mind, it was all finally becoming clear. There had always been a feeling of familiarity around the woman he had known as Kaitlin, a sense that the two of them of them were somehow connected in an intimate way. The memories that he had of those first eight days of his life were blurry and unfocused, but he could still remember the faces of his family, his mother, his father, and his sister. Perhaps, in the subconscious of his mind, he had already begun to understand. But his logical mind had told him that was impossible, so he tried to ignore it.

And now, he could ignore it no more. Across that bridge of thought which connected these two, they stood at last revealed to each other, and their connection at last made sense.

"Sujan, trust me." said Kaitlin, at last, "I'll get you through this."

Megamind still had many questions, but an instinct had been awakened within him, and he knew that he could trust her with his very life. "Then go ahead, I will listen to you."

Over the next several minutes, Megamind walked down the halls of the water treatment plant, listening and following the voice of Kaitoia in his mind. She helped him to see the hidden traps which Typhoon had set him up for him, and how to avoid them. With her guidance, he came safely to where she was hiding. "You will be safe now, Sujan." Said Kaitoia, as she sensed this.

Before he felt her fade completely from his mind, he asked her, "The next time I see you, will I have answers?"

"Yes, you will, I promise. I look forward to telling you everything."

And then, just like that, she was gone. Megamind suddenly found that he made it to the plant's central controlling station. The loss of Kaitlin's presence from his mind came as a shock to him. He realized that something had just happened to him which would forever change his life. But for right now, he needed to focus on finding Typhoon.

However, in looking around, he found that the room where he had been certain he would find Typhoon was empty. She was nowhere to be seen. "Locate Typhoon." He told the brain bots who were with him. "She can't have gotten far."

147, 56, and the others began to click and whir as they began to scan for any life signs that would match Typhoon's genetic signature. After a few seconds, 56 suddenly began to beep rapidly, and he hovered over to one of the windows that looked out over the central holding tanks. Megamind hurried over to the window, and there he saw that Typhoon was standing over one of the holding tanks, which was swirling with a maelstrom of water. "Typhoon," said Megamind, into the speaker system, since he knew that Typhoon still must be able to hear him, "Surrender, and you won't be harmed."

Typhoon had been staring at the water, but when she heard Megamind's voice, she looked up at him, and smiled. It was a strange smile, resigned, sarcastic, and slightly insane. "I have to commend you, Megamind. You have proved yourself to be my greatest opponent, and my best. All because you defeated me." She laughed, a cold, mad laugh that made Megamind's spin tingle. "I never knew really. Now I see. All my life, I have been searching for the one who could be counted as my equal; someone that I could truly say was a challenge to me. For that, I suppose that I owe you thanks. Of course, it could only last one round, couldn't it? For such people as we are, that's the only way these things can be settled."

"Typhoon, it doesn't have to end this way. You can change. Start right now. Don't poison the water systems. Don't kill all those people who had no part in this quarrel."

"You don't understand, Megamind. I don't have the poison anymore. Metro City is quite safe, and I can see that it will be for quite some years. But you seem to have forgotten, there is still one victory that I can claim as a villain. I may always be pursued, but I can always decide when the chase will end."

"The chase ends here, Typhoon. Even if you can escape, there is no way that you can go. The water plant is surrounded."

"I will not be taken, Megamind. When will you finally realize that?" She stared down at the water, and her next words didn't seem to be addressed to him at all, but rather to herself. "Water, it was always my power. It's my comfort, my strength. Seems rather a fitting resting place, don't you think?"

Horror flooded Megamind when he realized when Typhoon was intending to do. "Typhoon, no! Don't-"

"You lose, Megamind." Those words were followed by a loud bang, and Typhoon, also known as Tabitha Davenport, fell from the catwalk and into the swirling tank below her, where the water became stained with red.

Megamind couldn't bring himself to move or speak for several seconds. It was over, truly over. Typhoon had been defeated and the threat to Metro City was finally over. But this outcome had not been the one which he had wanted, by any means. Death was never something he had looked for, not even when he had been the villain in the story. He had never wanted Typhoon's death. He had genuinely hoped that he would be able to stop her path towards self-destruction.

The only thing that broke him from his reverie was interrupted by a call from Minion over the communicator. "Sir? Sir, are you all right?"

Megamind answered. "Yes, Minion, I'm here."

"Oh, thank goodness. We weren't getting any readings from inside the plant. Typhoon seems to have stopped using her powers. Do you have her in custody?"

Megamind was silent for a moment, before he said, "Typhoon is dead, Minion. She killed herself."

"I see." said Minion, after a pause. "We'll send someone in after you."

* * *

Megamind did not waste time with the people who were sent into the plant to clean up what was left of Typhoon's mess. He simply wanted to be out of there. When he came out of the plant, he found Minion waiting for him. The robotic fish had a sympathetic expression on his face. He didn't offer congratulations, because he knew that it was the last thing that his Master would want. Instead, he merely put a comforting hand on his shoulder and said, "You did what you had to, Sir."

"I know, Minion. And I don't blame myself. I just wish that things could have turned out differently."

"You are not the only one who wishes that, Megamind." Megamind turned, and he saw that Lydia was approaching, along with Greg. The sadness in her eyes told him that she already knew the outcome of the conflict. "My sister was not always like this. I can still remember when we were little, and she was so good and innocent. But once she started on this path, it was too late for her to change. But she was still my sister, and I will mourn for her."

"That is a credit to you." said Megamind, "But there might be someway that you could make some good come out of this. Lydia, you don't have to hide anymore. Now that Tabitha is out of the way, you can rebuild the DOOM Syndicate in your image, the way it was meant to be."

Lydia took a moment to consider this, before she smiled and said, "I'll certainly try that, Megamind. I would have hated not to have the chance to fight you, after all that we have been through."

Megamind returned the smile, "I will look forward to it, Lady Doppler."

At this moment, Megamind's communicator rang. He looked down at it in confusion, wondering who could possibly be calling him. "Megamind, here."

"Megamind, this is Melissa." The familiar voice of Melissa Thornton greeted Megamind's ears.

"Melissa, are you all right? You sound exhausted."

"Never mind that now. You had better get out to my location. I have Hal in custody."

"You what?" Megamind had thought that he would have yet another problem to deal with in Hal once Typhoon had finished. He hadn't been expecting it to be a difficult fight, but he had still worried. "What do you mean you have him in custody?"

"I managed to overpower him. He's quite harmless now; all you'll need is the police in order to get him to prison where he belongs."

Megamind was a little skeptical. "You're trying to tell me that you managed to get the better of Hal Stewart? How did you manage to do that?" He simply couldn't understand how that was possible, not when Hal still was in possession of his powers.

"I will tell you everything once you get here." said Melissa, "Just get here as quickly as you can."

* * *

Please read and review.

Next chapter: Melisande goes head to head with Hal Stewart, but when a full blooded Nairian fights with a cheap copy, the outcome is more or less decided from the start. But will Melisande's higher judgement prevail, or will she choose to kill Hal?


	42. Meeting His Match

Hey, readers. Sorry about the long update between updates. I have been on vacation at Walt Disney World, and I obviously had a lot of things on my mind. However, I did find time to accomplish something truly amazing: I actually finished this story! Yep, the last two chapters that are goinbg to be posted today is the final update of First Contact. I will get all sentimental and grateful for all of the wonderful people who have read this story in the last chapter. For now, here is my final entry for First Contact.

Meeting his Match:

When he had first been granted his powers as Titan, Hal Stewart had thought that he would be the strongest, coolest thing that the planet Earth had ever seen. He had thought that up till a few hours ago, and he had been determined to show anyone that dared to doubt him the truth of the matter. However, at this particular moment, every vain thought, every boast, seemed utterly hollow and empty.

He had finally met his match, and even he was smart enough to know that the woman who was currently chasing him was more than that. She was his superior in nearly every way. Flying, fighting, dodging, even his laser vision seemed to have no effect on her. She just kept coming: bursting through the falling buildings, threading what he considered to be almost impossibly small spaces for him to get through with the greatest of ease, deftly avoiding any obstacle that he struggled to put into her path.

And more than that, that terrible, dark gaze that always was hunting, always seeking him was relentless. It made him more afraid than anything he had ever experienced. It spurred him to keep flying so that he could get away from that awful visage and the fate that awaited him. But that fear also blinded him, and made him make stupid mistakes that he might not have done otherwise.

For Melisande, she was merely toying with Hal. He had no idea that he could have gotten caught within the blink of an eye. But that would have been too easy, and too quick for the likes of Hal Stewart. She wanted him to see what a true Nairian was capable of before she took her final revenge on him. Truth be told, it was all far too easy. Hal might have had the strength of a Nairian but he had no idea how to control it. He had no instinct for the art of flying and no idea how to hide where she could not find him.

Once during the chase, she actually increased her speed to catch up with him. Once she was over him, she corkscrewed around him, coming up right in front of him. "All offense intended," she spat out, "but you're flying sucks."

Hal let out a squeal of fright, stopped and raced off in the other direction, running straight into a brick building as he did so. He only just managed to frantically backpedal and get some altitude under him, Melisande's mocking laughter ringing in his ears.

This continued on for several minutes. Until Melisande finally grew bored. There was only so much entertainment value she could squeeze from such puny prey as Hal was proving to be. She was ready to end it. She surged forward, grabbing Hal by the ankles and hauling him upward, ever upward into the sky above Metro City. Hal screamed in terror, struggling to get loose, even trying to burn Melisande into a speck of dust through the use of his laser vision. Unfortunately, that didn't work any better than any of the other times he had attempted it.

He then remembered that he still had Typhoon. Surely she would be able to help him. Surely she wouldn't abandon him now. She must have gotten a handle on Megamind. He had never entertained any doubts that she would be able to prevail. "Typhoon," He cried into the communicator that she had provided for him. "You have to help me. Lock onto my signal and blast this woman out of the sky."

Even now, though, Hal was naïve as to how much he was worth to Typhoon. She certainly heard him. But at this point, she was finding her own schemes wavering, because somehow Megamind was able to overcome every single one of her traps. She didn't know how that was possible, but she was now beginning to consider the possibility that she might be beaten. However, if the case happened to be either victory or defeat, she no longer needed Hal Stewart. He had served his purpose. Now he would have to take care of his own fate. She pressed the control around her wrist which would drain Hal's powers from him, saying a glad farewell to a bad deal.

Up in the stratosphere, Hal felt his powers being drained from him, the weakness spreading. And he realized with horror that Typhoon had actually abandoned him. She had never intended to help him at all. He had just been a means to an end. No sooner had this thought crossed his mind, than Melisande let him go.

Hal fell to the earth, screaming as he tumbled end over end. The surface seemed to come to him faster than he even he had thought. He thought for sure that he was going to be crushed as flat as a pancake on the pavement of Metro City, but at the last possible second, Melisande swooped down, and caught him by the shoulders. Hal had no idea why she would want to save him after letting him go, except if she wanted to strangle the life from him.

Once Melisande had deemed it a safe distance, she unceremoniously dropped Hal on the sidewalk. Hal landed with an audible thud and a deep groan of agony. Everything hurt, his sides, his arms and legs, even his hair hurt. Melisande landed only a few paces from him, and he had to bite back a squeal, for her eyes were still blazing black and bright, the light of murder in her eyes.

Melisande stalked up to Hal, as a cat does upon an injured defenseless mouse. However, though the black fire was still alive in the Nairian bloodline, they as a species were no longer ruled by such passions. However, when Melisande saw Hal, sniveling and crying into the pavement, trembling with obvious terror, something stirred within her. This was wrong. Hal would suffer justice, but this was not the justice which was right to give him. If she were to kill this mewling worm now, she would never be able to think that she had wasted her strength on a venture that gained nothing for the common good. If there was one thing that all Nairians learned early in life, it was that their power, as great as it was, must only be used in worthy causes. Some Nairians didn't follow that creed. But she had always lived her life by it, and she was not going to stop now.

Slowly, her breathing and heartbeat returned to their normal speed, and the heat in her blood cooled to sanity. Her eyes also lost their black hardness, becoming blue as the sky once more. But that didn't mean that any sympathy for Hal took their place. She still felt only contempt. "My God, you're pathetic." She spat.

This hadn't been what Hal had been anticipating. He chanced to peak one of his eyes open. And he found that Melisande was glaring down at him, clearly contemptuous and angry, but for some reason, she was making no move to attack. "You're… you're not going to kill me?"

"Of course I'm not going to kill you. So stop your whining, it's getting on my nerves."

For a brief and ill advised second, Hal felt a brief surge of confidence. "What's the matter? You lost your nerve?"

Hal evidently still had a lot to learn about keeping his mouth shout. No sooner were the mocking words out of his mouth than he received a rude awakening. Melisande's eyes blazed with black fire, and for a split second, it seemed that her baser nature had reasserted itself. She strode over to Hal's prostrate form, and picked him up by the throat, lifting him up above her head as though he weighed no more than a toothpick. She then proceeded to shake Hal until he felt and heard his bones rattle.

"Make no mistake, Hal Stewart." She said, through gritted teeth, "I could kill you now, and it would be simple, so very easy for me to crush you like an insect." She stared into Hal's terrified eyes for a few more moments, letting the full import of her message fully sink in. then, her eyes returned to their normal blue color, and her sanity prevailed. She dropped Hal to the ground, and stared down at his sniveling, weeping body with contempt. "However, you are not even worth the effort that it would take."

Hal had no answer to this, not even a shadow of a smart remark. All of the fight and had been well and truly beaten out of him. First Tabitha, now Melisande had shown him that all brawn and no brain could only end in disaster, regardless of which side you happened to be on. All he wanted to do now was get back to prison, the only place where he had ever been safe from the freaks of this world.

His wish was not long in being fulfilled, for Melisande made a call to Megamind, and no much longer after this, he and Minion arrived in the invisible car, along with several police cars. The officers got out of their vehicles and seemed to be cautious about approaching Hal, still regarding him as a threat. "You don't need to be worried about Hal." Said Melisande, "He will come quite willingly and quietly, won't you Hal?"

Hal needed wordlessly, and edged away from Melisande, wanting to get as far away from her as he could as fast as he could. Megamind watched as Hal was hand cuffed and taken away. He then turned and regarded Melisande with a penetrating expression. "How were you able to take Hal down?"

"Quite simple really. I merely proved to be more skilled at playing the game then he was."

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Megamind, "I've gone up against Hal personally, and I know how dangerous he can be. There's no way that you could have been able to go against him with his super strength."

"And Typhoon only could have shut down his powers within the last thirty minutes, at the most." Said Minion, "Our last reports of your location said that you were with Roxanne and Kaitlin, on the other side of town. How did you get here without getting the attention of hostile forces?"

"I flew." Melisande had decided already that it was useless to keep up the façade any longer, so the truth was the best bet at this point.

However, she said it in such a way as though she considered it the most natural thing in the world that it must be admitted that neither Minion nor Megamind really knew how to react to this. They just stared at her in silence, trying to figure out if they had actually heard her right. "You flew?" said Megamind, at last.

"Yes, Hal is a really poor flier. When one has been doing such a thing one's whole life, one can always tell if another is talented at it. I think if Hal had been born on my world, still would have been a hopeless cause."

"What do you mean, born on your home world?" said Minion, "Are you actually trying to tell us that you're…"

"Not human? Well, I guess that would be a pretty accurate description."

Megamind shook his head, and said, "Minion, I don't think that we should get too worked up on the details. I'm sure that Melissa has a very good excuse."

"Oh, you have no idea. But we have to find Kaitlin. It's really a story that belongs to the two of us, and she should be able to have her say in this."

Megamind had been thinking about the strange, almost surreal encounter he had had with Kaitlin, and now this comment of Melisande's brought it to the forefront of his mind. "Fine. Then we'll go and find Kaitlin, and Roxanne. I need to make sure that she is all right before we do anything else."


	43. First Contact

First Contact:

It was over. It was finally over. The battle between Megamind and the forces of Typhoon was over. The quiet had settled over Metro City, as the ice bots and the hover bikes had been shut down. Roxanne and Kaitoia were safe, as was Bernard. He would survive his injuries thanks to Kaitoia's efforts. However, she herself was feeling mentally exhausted. She had expended the last of her powers in the past few hours, and it would be days before she recovered her full strength. Nonetheless, she did not regret a moment of it.

As the little group emerged from the hideout which had been their shelter, they saw that the streets of Metro City were littered with debris and wreckage from cars and buildings, ice bots and hover bikes. There didn't seem to be any human bodies amidst the damage however, and that was an added blessing.

"I can't believe its just over." said Roxanne, after a moment, "One minute, we're in danger of our lives, and the next. It's just so quiet."

"That's the way battles always are." Said Kaitoia, "But, luckily, we will live to tell about it."

"How do you think Melisande is doing?" said Bernard, who had been told when he had regained consciousness that she had gone after Hal in a blind rage. "Do you think that she's all right?"

"Yes, I'm sure that she is. Whether or not Hal will be by the time that she is done with him is another question."

Roxanne turned to look at her. "You know, you really have a lot of explaining to do. You might as well start now."

"Well, I suppose that I do owe you the beginnings of an explanation. The first thing that I can tell you is that my name isn't Kaitlin, its Kaitoia. The second thing that you need to be aware of is that I'm not exactly human?"

Roxanne's eyebrows rose. "Not exactly human? Kaitlin or Kaitoia… Oh, just forget it. The point is that in the past hour I've seen you conjure and shoot plasma bolts out of your hand, you shielded us from Hal's super senses, and you managed to bring Bernard back from the brink of death. I'd say that you're not exactly human is sort of an understatement."

"She has a point, Mistress." Said Seren.

"And then there's this snake, who you say is your Minion." Said Roxanne, "My guess is that just might be related to Megamind, since he also has someone named Minion who seems to serve the exact same purpose."

Kaitoia found herself smiling. "You were always observant, Roxanne. I suppose that a more accurate thing to say is that I'm not really human at all."

"Okay, just so long as we've established that. And I suppose I would be right to say that Melissa isn't really human either."

"Her name is Melisande, actually. But yes, you would be right." She looked closely at Roxanne, "That really doesn't bother you, does it?"

"Well, no, not really. But I still would like to know what three aliens like you are doing here on Earth, and why you felt a need to keep it a secret."

"It all began a few months ago, really. We-"

At this very money, the unthinkable happened. There had been one stray gun on one of the ruined hover bikes that had been primed to fire when it was destroyed. Now, something caused it to go off. No one had noticed this, until Seren caught sight of it out of the corner of her eye. "Mistress," she cried, "Look out!"

Kaitoia acted almost entirely out of instinct. She saw the beam of energy coming towards her and Roxanne. She pushed Roxanne out of the way, but she did not have the time to get to safety herself. She took the plasma bolt directly to her chest. She gasped in agony, as she felt the burning waves of the plasma enter into her heart, burning away her muscle and blood vessels. She barely had time to register the second wave of energy coming from the weapon, hitting her once more in the chest. The strength gave out in her legs, and she collapsed to the pavement. Vaguely, as she fought to keep the light in her vision, she realized that this was it; the final vision was coming to pass. This was the final act.

Too late did the others realize what was going on. Wayne managed to turn around and take out the defective gun with his laser vision. Roxanne, realizing what was happening, got to her feet and ran over to Kaitoia's prone form. Seren had gotten there first, the expression in her golden eyes one of horror and fear. "Mistress, Mistress, answer me."

Roxanne fell to her knees beside her fallen friend. "Kaitoia?" She said, the name sounding strange in her mouth. She reached out a hand, and turned her over so that she could get a better look at her injuries. She was stunned when she saw that the gaping wounds in Kaitoia's chest were oozing a thick, purple blood. She drew back her hand, by now covered in blood and stared at it.

She remembered once in the Lair, when Megamind had cut his hand on a piece of metal. The wound had bled a lot, and she had seen that Megamind's blood was thick, a texture that was almost syrupy. The color itself was a deep violet. It had been only another physical sign that Megamind was different from her in terms of physiology. Now, seeing the blood of Kaitoia's injuries, she began to realize that truth of who and what Kaitoia really was.

"Mistress, please wake up." Seren kept pleading with her, but Kaitoia had lost consciousness. Seren quickly realized what needed to be done. She wrapped herself around Kaitoia's chest and said, "Roxanne, please, step back for a moment. I have to restart her other heart if she even has a chance at surviving."

Numbly, Roxanne scrambled out of the way. Seren then proceeded to jolt the electricity into Kaitoia's still form, though it was probably too late. Even Seren knew that in the blink of an eye, her Mistress had suffered a fatal injury. Tandarens had two hearts. It was necessary, considering their tremendous brain size. One heart pumped blood to the brain, the other handled the rest of the body. If one of them was knocked out of commission, the other could temporarily handle the influx of blood, but eventually that organ too would give out from exhaustion.

The thing was, Tandaren physiology could easily regenerate itself. That was how Megamind had been able to come back from what might have been serious injuries to battle Wayne after a relatively short recovery period. But the nature of Kaitoia's injury was such that nearly her entire heart had been burned away by the blast. There was simply not enough tissue left for the natural process of the body to begin its healing.

It was looking very bad, and not even Roxanne could say how it would end. At this very moment, however, the invisible car rolled up, and she temporarily forgot her fear in the joy and relief of seeing Megamind, unhurt and in one piece get out of the car. "Megamind!" She cried, rushing over to him and giving him a big kiss and hug. "I'm sure glad you're all right. What happened to Typhoon? Did you get her into custody? Are Lydia and Greg all right?"

Megamind returned the show of affection with equal relief. "Roxanne, Typhoon is dead and Lydia and Greg are going to be fine. I'll explain everything once we get everything else in the city under control. I also have to tell you, Hal is no longer going to be a problem. Melisande took care of him."

Roxanne turned to look at Melisande. "You mean, you actually…"

"No, I didn't kill him, Roxanne." said Melisande, reassuringly, "Believe me, I wanted too. But my better nature prevailed." She broke off suddenly when she saw the blood that was covering Roxanne's hands. "Roxanne, why is there blood on your hand?"

Roxanne looked at her hands, and then looked at Megamind, who had now seen what was covering her hands. He recognized the color and he looked at Roxanne questioningly. "Roxanne?"

"It's not my blood." Said Roxanne, after a moment.

"No," said Melisande, her voice nearly a low whisper of horror as she realized what Roxanne was implying. Then her eyes moved to the other side of the plaza, and the sight of Kaitoia's unconscious form. "No." she cried, as she saw the blood pooling beneath her body.

Not even stopping to ask how it had happened, she ran over to Kaitoia, covering the distance in the blink of an eye. She knelt down by Kaitoia's side, taking her in her arms. "Kaitoia, don't even think about it. Don't you dare die on me, Kaitoia. Do you hear me?"

"I managed to get her heart restarted." Said Seren, who was now at Kaitoia's side. "But it is not enough. It could give out at any time, and if that happens, I won't be able to help her. Melisande," she continued, after a moment's pause, "we have to get her back to the ship."

Melisande looked up at Seren, the tears already shining in her blue eyes. "What?"

"They will be able to at least stabilize her there. It's our only option."

Kaitoia's eyes suddenly opened at this point, and she began to cough, gasping for air. "Melis," she said, as the figures around at last came into focus. "Melis, what happened? I just remember seeing the laser beam. It was headed towards Roxanne. I pushed her out of the way. Is she all right?"

Melisande nodded, the tears streaming down her face. Kaitoia looked up into her eyes, and she understood. "It's bad, isn't it?"

"Seren says that we should go back to the ship." Said Melisande.

Kaitoia was feeling too exhausted to even argue. She wasn't in pain, but she knew that with the shot she took, that was probably a worse sign than a good one. "Then we should go to the ship. Seren, bring them over here."

"Who?"

"Megamind, Roxanne. I have to see them. I have to tell them what I am, who I am."

"But Mistress,-"

"Seren, if I am dying, nothing can change that, certainly not a few minutes. But if I am marked to die today, I am not going to leave without telling him the truth."

Seren nodded sorrowfully, and slid away from Kaitoia's side, to go over to Megamind, Roxanne and Minion, who were approaching with worried looks. Melisande herself went off a little ways and took out her communicator. "Algar."

The Tandaren commander of the space ship overhead answered immediately. "Melisande, we've been trying to contact you for at least five minutes. Kaitoia's life signs have gone critical. Do you know where she is?"

"Yes. Kaitoia was hit. I'm afraid that it's bad. We need a beam out right away."

"Are in a secure location?"

"Algar, Kaitoia is dying." Said Melisande, sharply, "Do we really want to worry about something as petty as security?"

"I… No, I suppose not. Give the signal when you're ready."

Bernard had heard this whole thing, and he felt his heart breaking. Melisande was leaving. He should have expected that, and he knew that Kaitoia needed help from her own people, but still, a part of his mind that was entirely governed by logic had hoped that she might yet be able to stay. He realized now that even after knowing her for nearly six months, there was still so much that he wanted to share with her, so much that he wanted to tell her. Even if they were together for sixty years, he didn't think that he would be able to plumb the depths of all that they could have shared.

He approached her, and said, "So, you're going then?"

Melisande turned around, feeling that her heart was breaking as well. "Bernard, I-I have to. Please, you have to understand."

"I do, Melisande, I do. And I don't blame you. I just thought…. Well, I thought that we would have had so much more time."

On impulse, Melisande stepped forward and hugged Bernard tightly. "I will come back, Bernard. I promise I will come back."

Bernard returned the brace. But after several seconds, they both were forced to pull away, and say their final farewell.

Seren came up to the trio and said, "She has asked for you. I suggest that you take the offer."

"Is she… going to die?" said Megamind, his blood running cold at the very idea.

"I do not know. But I won't lie to you; it seems very unlikely that she will live. Please, go to her. She has much to tell you."

Megamind and Roxanne came towards Kaitoia, and both of them knelt down on either side of her. She smiled up at them tiredly. "Hey, there you two." She said, "I never really thought that our story would end this way. But we cannot always choose how we will go."

"Kaitoia…" said Roxanne.

"Roxanne, I don't have much time, but there is still so much that I need to tell you. Please listen to me. I am sorry that I lied to you, Roxanne."

"Lied to me? When did you do that?"

"I have been doing it for quite awhile now. It was necessary, you understand. I am not exactly from around here."

"I understand." Said Roxanne, "You have nothing to apologize for."

"Actually, I do. You asked me once if I loved Megamind. I thought at the time that I did not and so I said no. however, it wasn't entirely true. I do love him, only in a very different way than you."

"What do you mean?"

Megamind didn't answer her directly. She turned her purple eyes to Megamind, and in their gaze was an intense connection, which had been before but an echo. Now, they were seeing each other as they had always been, and the connection between brother and sister now brought them together.

"How do I know you?" He asked her, feeling that he was in some sort of dream, "I know that it is not a different life which we are talking about. There is something else that is bringing us together, something that we both share."

"You would be right. I held you in my arms when you were less than an hour old, and I have loved you ever since." She reached out one hand, weakly. She took one of his hands and with her last bit of strength, she gently nudged her memories of those first few days with her brother into his mind. Megamind gasped as he saw images of himself as a little baby, his family surrounding himself with love and attention, including the young Tandaren girl with the violet eyes, who had shown him the beauties of small insects blinking in the night sky. And in that moment, Megamind finally saw the truth.

"Remember, Sujan." Kaitoia breathed, before her eyes closed and she slumped back to the pavement, and the dream ended.

Megamind could hardly believe what he had just witnessed and what he finally realized. He had always hoped, always dreamed what it would be like if he knew that he was no longer the only one of his species left. He had sometimes wondered what it would be like to no longer be alone. And now, he knew that he was not alone. For even if Kaitlin remained in her human disguise, he knew that she was actually something else; she was like himself. And more, she was part of him.

But he did not have time to fully consider the consequences of what this would mean for his future. Melisande hurried towards them, her farewell to Bernard not being able to last longer than either would have liked. She pushed Megamind and Roxanne out of the way, and knelt beside Kaitoia. "I'm sorry that it had to end like this." She said, before gathering Kaitoia in her arms and saying into the communicator. "Algar, three to beam up."

All the onlookers were stunned when they saw the white and blue beams gathering around the three alien beings, winding and moving about them until they vanished into thin air, leaving not a trace behind.

But Megamind, more than any of them, would find himself changed from the events of that day. He had witnessed more than just human's first contact with not just one, but two alien species besides their own. He had discovered his first contact with a past he had all but forgotten, a future he had not known existed, and a future that was not forever changed.

* * *

Yes, I left you all on a cliffhanger. Yes, I know that I am mean and you probably all hate me now. But, it will all be explained in the sequal to this story. I may be mean, but I'm not cruel. I wouldn't have come all this way with these characters and then just kill them. In the next few days, an entirely new journey will begin, which will lead Megamind, Roxanne and Minion to planets beyond Earth, and into a brave new world.

For now, I just want to leave you with my humble thanks. This has been a very challenging story for me to write, and there have been times when I considered giving up on it altogether. It was your reviews that kept me going. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, favorited or even just happened to read this story. It's really the readers that make fan fiction so much fun to write. I hope to see you join me on the next adventure.

For the last time on this story, I just ask for your reviews one last time.


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